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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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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: row · root · shower · staff · racket · club · mouse · mate

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. root — of a plant
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — for golf
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. shower — to wash
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. club — a group
  11. root — of a word
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. mate — a friend
  14. staff — employees
  15. mate — a partner
  16. club — for dancing
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. root — the cause
  19. shower — rain
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. staff — a stick
  22. row — to paddle
  23. staff — employees
  24. mate — to breed

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