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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: shower · fan · toast · ruler · rest · hide · wax · nail

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wax — to grow
  4. toast — bread
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. rest — a break
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. shower — to wash
  24. hide — animal skin

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