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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: rush · mouse · pitcher · kid · ruler · shower · pass · stock

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kid — child
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. shower — rain
  11. stock — goods
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. shower — to wash
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stock — shares

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