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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: leaves · rash · capital · ruler · present · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rash — a series
  7. capital — money
  8. present — the time now
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. present — a gift
  13. capital — a city
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. present — there
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch

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