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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: row · roll · mouse · bowl · shower · chip · racket · lean

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. shower — to wash
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. row — to paddle
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. shower — rain
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. chip — for betting
  12. roll — a cake
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. roll — a list
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lean — thin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — a line
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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