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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: rule · roll · track · arm · lean · last · nail · rock

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. last — to go on
  3. roll — a list
  4. track — a path
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. track — a song
  14. rule — a law
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. last — finally
  17. last — final
  18. rock — music
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. track — to keep track
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lean — thin
  24. rule — government

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