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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 120 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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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 · ruler · mouse · club · fan · snap · bay · pit

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. club — for golf
  16. snap — to click
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — to wash
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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