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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: hide · ruler · firm · trunk · spring · bank · can · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bank — for money
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. can — a tin
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. firm — decided
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — steady
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — of water
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. firm — a company
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. can — a tin
  23. spring — a coil
  24. ruler — for measuring

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