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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 120 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: dip · nail · bear · ruler · leaves · cap · wave · bat

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bear — the animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cap — a hat
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bat — in an idiom

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