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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: jam · bore · rest · can · staff · ground · rash · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. staff — employees
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. staff — employees
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — a stick
  8. rash — hasty
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. shower — to wash
  11. ground — the earth
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rest — a break
  16. can — a tin
  17. ground — a position
  18. rest — what's left
  19. can — to be able to
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. rash — a series
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ground — crushed

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