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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: wound · ruler · rush · sharp · snap · bank · current · shower

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. shower — rain
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. shower — to wash
  5. current — happening now
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. current — of water
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. current — electric
  22. wound — an injury
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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