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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: foot · mate · shower · rock · roll · ruler · straw · rush

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mate — a partner
  6. roll — a list
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. roll — a cake
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. rock — music
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mate — to breed
  18. shower — rain
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. shower — to wash
  24. ruler — a monarch

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