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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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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: bank · drill · mouse · can · cell · game · rush · foot

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. game — wild animals
  6. can — a tin
  7. cell — in biology
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bank — for money
  14. can — to be able to
  15. cell — a phone
  16. drill — army training
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. game — a match
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. foot — a measure
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bank — of a river

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