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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
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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: mouse · bank · chest · bowl · staff · pop · content · rash

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bank — of a river
  12. chest — a box
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bank — for money
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chest — of your body
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bank — for money
  20. content — the amount
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rash — a series

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