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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 · bat · hand · object · cap · foot · mug · nail

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cap — a lid
  4. hand — in cards
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. mug — a face
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a hat
  15. object — a thing
  16. bat — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hand — help
  19. cap — of ice
  20. object — an aim
  21. foot — a measure
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. object — to protest
  24. foot — part of the body

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