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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 116 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cap — a hat
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. saw — the tool
  10. band — a ring
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pit — in a race
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pit — a hole
  19. shower — to wash
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cap — of ice

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