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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
468
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: cold · object · ruler · ball · racket · fine · roll · shower

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. object — to protest
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. roll — a cake
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cold — an illness
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. shower — rain
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fine — all right
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. roll — a list
  17. ball — a great time
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. object — an aim
  21. fine — high quality
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. object — a thing
  24. cold — not warm

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