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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: fall · saw · rush · toast · ruler · root · shower · rock

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. fall — to drop
  3. shower — to wash
  4. toast — bread
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. fall — the season
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rush — hurry
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. shower — rain
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fall — to drop

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