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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
468
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: cap · nail · ball · ruler · race · object · sharp · shower

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. race — humankind
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. object — an aim
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cap — a hat
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cap — a lid
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. cap — of ice
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — a contest
  24. sharp — with an edge

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