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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: rest · tube · ruler · band · safe · shower · game · board

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. shower — rain
  3. board — a committee
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — to wash
  6. band — a ring
  7. game — a match
  8. tube — the underground
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. band — a music group
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. rest — what's left
  14. board — to get on
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rest — what's left
  17. tube — a container
  18. game — wild animals
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. safe — a strongbox

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