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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: jam · wave · land · rash · row · court · nail · ruler

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. court — of law
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. row — to paddle
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. land — a country
  10. rash — hasty
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. land — ground
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rash — a series
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. row — a line
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — for sport
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. land — to come down

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