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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: shower · ruler · mark · bass · bowl · rule

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rule — government
  3. shower — rain
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rule — a law
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bowl — to roll

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