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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
468
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: chip · shower · leaves · hide · mouse · bore · key · bowl

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bore — to drill
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. shower — to wash
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. shower — rain
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. chip — for betting

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