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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: shower · tube · rush · rock · mark · game · staff · key

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. key — in music
  6. game — a match
  7. staff — employees
  8. rock — a stone
  9. staff — employees
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rock — music
  13. mark — a grade
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. shower — rain
  16. tube — a container
  17. game — wild animals
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rush — hurry
  22. staff — a stick
  23. key — for a lock
  24. shower — to wash

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