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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: nail · sharp · spring · ground · mine · leaves · plane · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. sharp — clever
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. ground — the earth
  7. spring — a coil
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. spring — of water
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ground — crushed
  16. plane — a tool
  17. spring — the season
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ground — a position
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mine — for digging

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