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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 120 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: rock · swing · bark · tear · ruler · lie · last · nail

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. tear — to rip
  6. last — to go on
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. swing — music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. last — final
  12. lie — to recline
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. swing — in golf
  16. last — finally
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bark — to shout
  21. swing — to play on
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rock — music

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