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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · perch · shower · nail · court · date · rock · stand

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rock — a stone
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. shower — to wash
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. shower — rain
  11. stand — to bear
  12. perch — the fish
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. court — of a king
  16. rock — music
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. court — of law
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. date — the fruit
  23. court — for sport
  24. stand — on your feet

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