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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: ruler · shower · nail · face · current · fall · present · drill

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. current — electric
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. current — happening now
  5. fall — to drop
  6. current — of water
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — to wash
  10. present — the time now
  11. drill — army training
  12. present — a gift
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. drill — a practice
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fall — the season
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fall — to drop
  19. face — to confront
  20. present — there
  21. face — to point toward
  22. drill — the tool
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. shower — rain

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