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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: game · ruler · plane · stick · shower · bass · fan · date

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. shower — rain
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. game — wild animals

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