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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.

Make a worksheet

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: current · squash · bowl · mouse · key · rash · ball · rest

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rest — a break
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. key — in music
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rash — a series
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. current — of water
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. current — electric
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. key — for a lock
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rest — what's left
  22. current — happening now
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. ball — a great time

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