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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
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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: ball · shower · fall · craft · bulb · press · mouse · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fall — the season
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. shower — to wash
  8. fall — to drop
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — to push
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. press — newspapers
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bulb — for light
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — rain
  24. bulb — of a plant

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