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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: roll · nail · drill · kick · stand · fine · object · ruler

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. roll — a cake
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. drill — the tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fine — all right
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. roll — a list
  11. kick — in football
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. fine — high quality
  14. drill — army training
  15. object — a thing
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. object — an aim
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. drill — a practice
  23. object — to protest
  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