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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: rash · bore · deal · pitcher · drill · roll · mouse · rush

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. roll — a list
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bore — to drill
  22. roll — a cake
  23. drill — army training
  24. rush — hurry

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