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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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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: shower · mug · wax · ruler · pitcher · squash · swing · roll

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. squash — to crush
  2. roll — a list
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — rain
  6. squash — the sport
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. mug — a face
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. swing — to play on
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wax — to grow
  17. roll — a cake
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mug — a cup
  20. swing — music
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mug — to rob
  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