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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
468
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: bore · nail · craft · chip · wound · fan · ruler · band

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. band — a music group
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bore — to drill
  10. chip — for betting
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. band — a ring
  15. bore — to tire
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. craft — a skill
  18. chip — to eat
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. craft — boats
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wound — an injury

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