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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: bear · rock · shower · safe · straw · firm · lie · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — music
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bear — the animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — decided
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. shower — rain
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. shower — to wash
  18. firm — steady
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — a company
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rock — to move gently

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