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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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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 · lash · kid · nail · coach · tear · bowl · shower

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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. shower — a meteor shower
  4. tear — from crying
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. shower — rain
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. kid — child
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. tear — from crying
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. tear — to rip
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. coach — a trainer

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