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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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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: straw · lean · last · nail · key · root · ruler · lash

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. last — final
  4. key — in music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. root — of a plant
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. last — to go on
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. key — for a lock
  12. root — the cause
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. lean — thin
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lean — to bend
  18. root — of a word
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. last — finally

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