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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. pop — to visit
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pop — soda
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rest — a break
  10. staff — employees
  11. pop — music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. shower — to wash
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stand — to bear
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. row — a line
  23. shower — rain
  24. staff — a stick

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