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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 · shower · net · safe · root · bore · pitcher · season

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. net — after costs
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. shower — rain
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bore — to drill
  14. season — in sport
  15. root — the cause
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. shower — to wash
  19. season — of the year
  20. net — for catching
  21. bore — to tire
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. net — in sport

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