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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 · shower · row · kick · ball · fine · cue · bay

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cue — a hint
  8. kick — in football
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. shower — rain
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. shower — to wash
  23. ball — a dance
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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