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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 · cabinet · row · bear · bore · ruler · plane · race

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. row — a line
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bear — the animal
  10. shower — rain
  11. race — humankind
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. race — a contest
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bore — to drill
  24. row — a quarrel

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