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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. suit — in cards
  2. cap — a lid
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cap — a hat
  6. shower — rain
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rash — a series
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bark — to shout
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  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