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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: toast · cap · pound · ruler · shower · pass

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. shower — rain
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. toast — bread
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cap — of ice
  16. shower — to wash
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pass — a permit

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