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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: rash · bore · nail · rush · leaves · squash · ruler · land

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. land — to come down
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. land — ground
  16. land — a country
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. squash — to crush
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rash — a series

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