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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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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: ruler · bowl · court · plane · bass · fall · shower · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. shower — rain
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. court — of a king
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. court — of law
  17. fall — to drop
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. court — for sport
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fall — the season
  24. 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