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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: bore · ruler · nail · scale · ground · clip · bowl · straw

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. scale — in music
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. clip — to cut
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — a position
  13. clip — for paper
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. clip — a video
  19. bore — to drill
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. scale — size or range

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