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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: wind · mouse · board · ruler · nail · wound · tube · net

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. board — a committee
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wind — moving air
  7. net — for catching
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — the underground
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. tube — a container
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. wound — an injury
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wound — an injury
  24. board — to get on

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