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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 · nail · temple · tube · fan · shower · straw · lash

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. shower — to wash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. tube — a container
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. shower — rain
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. tube — the underground
  24. nail — on a finger

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