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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 116 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: shower · scale · mouse · wave · bore · racket · cue · root

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. scale — size or range
  3. shower — to wash
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. scale — in music
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. cue — a signal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. root — of a word
  15. bore — to drill
  16. root — the cause
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. root — of a plant
  19. shower — rain
  20. cue — a hint
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bore — to tire

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