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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 · wound · current · ruler · bore · lie · plane · nail

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. current — happening now
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. current — electric
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. current — of water
  17. bore — to tire
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bass — the instrument
  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