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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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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: drill · ruler · mouse · lash · pound · shower · cap · object

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. cap — of ice
  6. object — a thing
  7. shower — rain
  8. drill — the tool
  9. object — to protest
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. drill — a practice
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cap — a hat
  16. drill — army training
  17. object — an aim
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pound — a weight

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