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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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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: nail · mark · ruler · object · face · bear · wind · drill

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. bear — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. face — to confront
  16. drill — army training
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. drill — a practice
  22. object — to protest
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bear — to put up with

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