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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: rock · hand · ground · ruler · tear · kick · track · fine

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rock — a stone
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. hand — in cards
  7. ground — the earth
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. tear — to rip
  12. track — a song
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. hand — help
  18. fine — all right
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — music
  21. track — a path
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  24. track — to keep track

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