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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 120 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: swing · shower · tear · bay · ruler · arm

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. shower — rain
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. swing — to play on
  15. shower — to wash
  16. swing — music
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. tear — to rip

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