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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: mouse · pitcher · cabinet · current · shower · perch · deal · net

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. shower — to wash
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. current — happening now
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. current — electric
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. shower — rain
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. net — in sport
  20. current — of water
  21. net — after costs
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. net — for catching
  24. perch — the fish

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