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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: lean · arm · track · mark · ruler · firm · nail · dip

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. firm — decided
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. firm — a company
  8. track — to keep track
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lean — to bend
  13. firm — steady
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mark — a grade
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. track — a song
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — a path

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