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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: rule · wind · club · ruler · safe · content · shower · trunk

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. shower — rain
  4. content — the amount
  5. shower — to wash
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. club — for golf
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. club — for dancing
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rule — government
  17. content — happy
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wind — moving air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. club — a group
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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