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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 120 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: perch · shower · game · stem · rule · wave · vault · ruler

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rule — government
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. vault — a safe
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. rule — a law
  18. stem — to come from
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rule — to rule out

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