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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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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: bulb · wind · leaves · ruler · face · cell · shower · bear

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bulb — for light
  4. face — to point toward
  5. wind — moving air
  6. face — to confront
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bear — the animal
  13. face — part of the head
  14. cell — a phone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wind — moving air
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — rain

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