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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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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: bay · shower · date · ruler · arm · hide · wind · charge

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. shower — rain
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. wind — moving air
  15. charge — a price
  16. wind — moving air
  17. date — the fruit
  18. charge — in control
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. charge — electricity

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