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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: rest · bore · ruler · vault · shower · net · tear · cabinet

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bore — to drill
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. shower — rain
  8. bore — to tire
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — from crying
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — for catching
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rest — what's left
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. shower — to wash
  24. rest — a break

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