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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 116 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: ball · face · wave · drill · nail · lash · tear · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. drill — the tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. tear — to rip
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. drill — a practice
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. face — to point toward
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. drill — army training
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. tear — from crying

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