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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: ruler · land · shower · march · saw · object · can · firm

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. land — a country
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. shower — rain
  5. object — to protest
  6. march — music
  7. land — ground
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — a thing
  13. saw — the tool
  14. march — the month
  15. object — an aim
  16. land — to come down
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. can — to be able to
  19. firm — a company
  20. can — a tin
  21. shower — to wash
  22. firm — steady
  23. march — the month
  24. firm — decided

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