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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 · shower · mark · rest · tear · mug · pass · spring

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mark — a trace
  6. spring — of water
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pass — a permit
  11. shower — rain
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. tear — to rip
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spring — the season
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rest — a break
  21. mug — a face
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. shower — to wash
  24. tear — from crying

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