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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 116 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: sharp · nail · net · shower · mark · track · ruler · mine

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. net — for catching
  4. sharp — clever
  5. shower — to wash
  6. track — a path
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. net — in sport
  13. shower — rain
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mine — for digging
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. net — after costs
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. track — a song

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