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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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 · pop · suit · bore · staff · mouse · bowl · cell

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. staff — employees
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — rain
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bore — to drill
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pop — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. shower — to wash
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. suit — clothes
  21. staff — employees
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mouse — 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