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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.

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: present · march · shower · rule · dip · ruler

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. shower — rain
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rule — government
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. present — there
  8. dip — to sink
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. march — the month
  11. present — a gift
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. march — the month
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. march — music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. shower — to wash

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