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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.

Make a worksheet

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: shower · ruler · bowl · swing · staff · scale · wound · suit

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. scale — size or range
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. scale — in music
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. swing — to play on
  12. staff — employees
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. swing — music
  22. wound — an injury
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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