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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: trunk · roll · mouse · press · shower · foot · ruler · safe

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. roll — a list
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. press — newspapers
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. roll — a cake
  15. shower — rain
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. press — a publisher
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — a measure
  23. press — to push
  24. trunk — of a car

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