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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: object · shower · board · mine · row · ruler · mug · bay

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. object — to protest
  3. mine — for digging
  4. object — a thing
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mug — to rob
  8. row — a line
  9. shower — rain
  10. mug — a face
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. board — to get on
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mug — a cup
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. object — an aim
  24. shower — to wash

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