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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: nail · ruler · board · rush · saw · track · bank · rule

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. track — a path
  3. rule — government
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. track — to keep track
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bank — of a river
  16. saw — the tool
  17. track — a song
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bank — for money
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. board — a committee
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rule — a law

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