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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.

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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: staff · rush · racket · nail · squash · shower · cabinet · pound

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pound — a weight
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — the sport
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. staff — a stick
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. rush — hurry
  14. squash — to crush
  15. staff — employees
  16. shower — rain
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. nail — for a hammer

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