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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 · pass · lie · shower · racket · object · bank · cap

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bank — for money
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. lie — to recline
  10. shower — rain
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. object — to protest
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bank — for money
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cap — a lid
  20. pass — a permit
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bank — of a river
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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