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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. shower — rain
  2. band — a music group
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fork — in a road
  5. band — a ring
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bound — certain
  23. bear — the animal
  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