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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
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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: mouse · racket · staff · pitch · rash · shower · date · bore

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bore — to drill
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rash — hasty
  14. date — the fruit
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pitch — completely
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bore — to tire
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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