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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 116 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: nail · mouse · present · wound · mark · shower · bass · ruler

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mark — a grade
  3. shower — to wash
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. wound — an injury
  16. shower — rain
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ruler — a monarch

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