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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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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: ruler · hand · swing · nail · rest · safe · wind · rash

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rash — a series
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. swing — to play on
  5. hand — in cards
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rash — hasty
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. swing — music
  16. rest — a break
  17. wind — moving air
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rest — what's left
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ruler — for measuring

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