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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: shower · pass · fork · jam · ground · chest · racket · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fork — in a road
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ground — a position
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ground — crushed
  14. chest — of your body
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. shower — rain
  17. pass — a permit
  18. shower — to wash
  19. chest — a box
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. ground — the earth
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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