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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 · stand · mate · fall · bowl · shower

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. shower — rain
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fall — the season
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fall — to drop

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