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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 · pop · nail · season · temple · ruler · drill · bat

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lean — thin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lean — to bend
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. drill — army training
  9. season — of the year
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pop — soda
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bat — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. season — in sport
  24. drill — a practice

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