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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 116 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: safe · cold · shower · mug · ruler · fall · lie · scale

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fall — the season
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a cup
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cold — not warm
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. fall — to drop
  14. shower — rain
  15. scale — in music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. shower — to wash
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cold — an illness
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mug — a face
  24. scale — size or range

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