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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. club — for dancing
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bank — for money
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. club — a group
  12. bank — for money
  13. club — for golf
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bank — of a river
  22. shower — to wash
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — rain

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