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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: jam · sharp · spell · ruler · mark · shower · net · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. net — for catching
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. spell — a short time
  7. shower — to wash
  8. sharp — clever
  9. net — after costs
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. net — in sport
  13. spell — letters
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. spell — magic
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. sharp — exactly

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