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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · rule · craft · bark · nail · mate · deal · hand

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rule — a law
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rule — government
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — in cards
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bark — to shout
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com