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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: nail · pitch · toast · ruler · tube · wake · rock · bass

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rock — music
  9. toast — bread
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rock — a stone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. tube — a container
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bass — the fish
  24. nail — for a hammer

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