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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: trunk · rule · ruler · nail · bank · board · wake · spring

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — a committee
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rule — government
  10. wake — a trail
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. spring — of water
  18. bank — for money
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. spring — the season
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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