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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · march · deal · lie · calf · ruler · nail · current

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lie — to recline
  4. deal — to handle
  5. current — of water
  6. current — electric
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. march — the month
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. shower — to wash
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. shower — rain
  18. march — music
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. march — the month
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. current — happening now

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