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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 116 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: last · nail · bulb · snap · coach · row · object · ruler

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bulb — for light
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. last — to go on
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. row — to paddle
  8. object — to protest
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. object — an aim
  12. snap — to click
  13. last — final
  14. row — a line
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. object — a thing
  22. last — finally
  23. bulb — for light
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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