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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hand · lie · ruler · nail · cap · track · key · bear

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lie — to recline
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. cap — a hat
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. key — in music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cap — a lid
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. track — a path
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ruler — a monarch

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