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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: clip · bore · shower · rash · wave · pitch · ruler · spell

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. spell — magic
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — to wash
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. clip — for paper
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. spell — a short time
  11. clip — to cut
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. shower — rain
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rash — hasty
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. spell — letters
  19. bore — to drill
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. clip — a video

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