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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: wind · key · arm · bound · ruler · snap · dip · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. wind — moving air
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. shower — to wash
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. key — for a lock
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. key — in music
  17. bound — certain
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. snap — to click
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. arm — a part of something

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