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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: ruler · mate · bound · fall · bore · hand · shower · lash

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bound — tied together
  4. shower — to wash
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fall — to drop
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bound — obliged
  10. shower — rain
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bound — certain
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fall — the season
  17. mate — a friend
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fall — to drop
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mate — a partner

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