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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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468
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 · bear · band · pitch · kick · mouse · fine · mug

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pitch — completely
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. shower — rain
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bear — the animal
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mug — a cup
  15. band — a music group
  16. fine — high quality
  17. band — a ring
  18. mug — a face
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. fine — all right
  24. mug — to rob

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