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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: racket · rule · wake · mine · hide · ruler · fine · shower

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. shower — to wash
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. fine — high quality
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. mine — for digging
  21. shower — rain
  22. wake — a trail
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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