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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: rock · rule · bear · shower · squash · racket · sharp · foot

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. shower — rain
  3. sharp — clever
  4. squash — the sport
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rock — music
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bear — the animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. rule — government
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rule — a law
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. squash — to crush

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