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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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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 · leaves · ruler · craft · bay · pit · dip · tube

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. craft — a skill
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. tube — a container
  12. shower — to wash
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pit — a hole
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. craft — boats

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