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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · mate · rash · cue · drill · court · chip · lie

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rash — hasty
  3. drill — army training
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cue — a hint
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rash — a series
  11. mate — a partner
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. drill — a practice
  14. chip — for betting
  15. drill — the tool
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. court — of a king
  18. shower — rain
  19. court — for sport
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mate — a friend
  23. court — of law
  24. chip — to eat

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