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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: tear · shower · current · fine · toast · roll · mouse · saw

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. fine — high quality
  3. current — of water
  4. tear — from crying
  5. roll — a cake
  6. shower — rain
  7. roll — a list
  8. saw — the tool
  9. tear — to rip
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. tear — from crying
  16. toast — bread
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. current — electric
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. saw — the tool
  22. current — happening now
  23. fine — all right
  24. shower — to wash

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