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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: bowl · lash · mine · cell · ruler · hide · file · shower

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. cell — in biology
  3. shower — to wash
  4. file — a tool
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. file — a line of people
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cell — a phone
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mine — for digging
  16. shower — rain
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. file — a document
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bowl — a football final

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