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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 116 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: drill · fine · snap · rash · mouse · shower · ball · kick

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. drill — the tool
  3. fine — all right
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — army training
  11. snap — to click
  12. kick — in football
  13. rash — hasty
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rash — a series
  16. ball — a great time
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fine — high quality
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — rain
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fine — a penalty

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