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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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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: ground · firm · mate · racket · shower · cap · ruler · temple

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. There's no middle ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — to wash
  6. ground — a position
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — steady
  9. cap — a lid
  10. firm — a company
  11. ground — the earth
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cap — of ice
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ground — crushed
  18. cap — a hat
  19. mate — to breed
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. shower — rain
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. firm — decided
  24. mate — a partner

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