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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: shower · dip · suit · net · arm · rush · ruler · pop

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. net — after costs
  5. suit — in cards
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pop — soda
  8. shower — rain
  9. pop — music
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. net — for catching
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. net — in sport
  16. shower — to wash
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pop — to visit
  21. suit — to fit
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. dip — a sauce

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