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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: mark · shower · ruler · patient · spell · land · current · club

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. land — to come down
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spell — letters
  8. mark — a grade
  9. spell — magic
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. current — happening now
  12. land — ground
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. club — for golf
  15. mark — a trace
  16. club — a group
  17. shower — rain
  18. shower — to wash
  19. current — of water
  20. land — a country
  21. current — electric
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. club — for dancing
  24. ruler — for measuring

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