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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: rush · bore · spring · sharp · ruler · fan · hand · nail

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. hand — in cards
  12. spring — the season
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. hand — help
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bore — to tire
  20. sharp — clever
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rush — hurry
  24. spring — a coil

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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