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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: charge · shower · key · wound · bank · bear · ruler · fan

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wound — an injury
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. charge — a price
  7. shower — rain
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. key — in music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — in control
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bank — of a river
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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