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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 116 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: press · shower · ruler · current · bark · dip · bound · hand

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. press — to push
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bark — to shout
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. shower — to wash
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bound — obliged
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. current — of water
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. press — newspapers
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bound — certain
  18. current — happening now
  19. bound — tied together
  20. current — electric
  21. shower — rain
  22. dip — to sink
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — in cards

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