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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · bank · object · rash · mine · shower · ruler · bound

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bank — for money
  4. fork — in a road
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bound — certain
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. object — an aim
  10. rash — a series
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bank — of a river
  13. object — a thing
  14. bound — tied together
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bank — for money
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. shower — rain
  24. object — to protest

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