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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. drill — a practice
  8. lean — thin
  9. drill — army training
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. field — a subject
  13. staff — employees
  14. rock — music
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. field — farmland
  17. staff — employees
  18. lean — to bend
  19. field — for sport
  20. drill — the tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bowl — a dish
  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