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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: nail · spring · bore · ruler · stand · rock · land · staff

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. staff — employees
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. land — a country
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — to come down
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. staff — employees
  16. land — ground
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. spring — of water
  23. staff — a stick
  24. stand — for spectators

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