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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.

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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: wave · net · lean · ruler · key · kick · nail · mine

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. key — for a lock
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. kick — in football
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. lean — to bend
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. key — the most important part
  14. net — after costs
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. key — in music
  17. lean — thin
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mine — for digging
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. net — for catching
  24. lean — to rest against

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