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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: shower · fall · pit · can · club · mouse · mark · ruler

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pit — a hole
  3. club — for golf
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mark — a trace
  16. can — a tin
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. can — a tin
  22. club — a group
  23. shower — to wash
  24. mouse — the animal

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