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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: bass · tear · cabinet · season · ruler · nail · stick · bank

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. tear — from crying
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — the fish
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. season — in sport
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bass — low music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. tear — to rip
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bank — for money
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bank — for money
  22. season — of the year
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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