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

Word bank: ruler · pass · kick · face · shower · bay

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. shower — to wash
  3. pass — a permit
  4. shower — rain
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. kick — in football
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. face — to confront
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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