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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: shower · rest · chip · object · root · lean · mouse · stock

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. shower — rain
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. shower — to wash
  5. chip — for betting
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — the cause
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. rest — a break
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stock — shares
  20. object — an aim
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stock — goods
  24. chip — to eat

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