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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. roll — a cake
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wind — moving air
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — to wash
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. roll — a list
  20. wind — moving air
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mouse — for a computer

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