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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: bear · mouse · race · rash · cabinet · temple · shower · bay

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. race — a contest
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rash — a series
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. shower — rain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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