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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: bat · nail · ruler · bank · wake · fan · rock · chair

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bat — the animal
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rock — a stone
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bank — for money
  20. rock — music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — for money
  23. wake — a trail
  24. fan — to cool the air

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