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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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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: lean · drill · charge · cue · roll · deal · shower · ball

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. cue — for pool
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. shower — to wash
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. charge — in control
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. charge — a price
  14. cue — a signal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lean — thin
  18. shower — rain
  19. roll — a cake
  20. lean — to bend
  21. drill — a practice
  22. charge — electricity
  23. cue — a hint
  24. roll — a list

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