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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: pit · pound · stem · shower · bay · present · ruler · fan

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. shower — rain
  3. present — the time now
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. shower — to wash
  7. present — a gift
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stem — to come from
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. pound — a weight
  13. present — there
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fan — to cool the air

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