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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 120 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: can · club · row · mouse · cabinet · shower · track · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. track — a song
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. club — a group
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. row — to paddle
  10. can — a tin
  11. row — a line
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. shower — rain
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. club — for golf
  24. track — a path

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