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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: mate · bass · roll · staff · drill · squash · ball · shower

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. shower — rain
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. squash — to crush
  6. staff — employees
  7. mate — to breed
  8. staff — a stick
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. ball — a great time
  11. staff — employees
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mate — a friend
  15. shower — to wash
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mate — a partner
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — a list
  21. bass — low music
  22. drill — a practice
  23. squash — the sport
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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