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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: rash · last · board · sharp · pop · shower · mouse · cabinet

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. board — to get on
  4. pop — music
  5. shower — rain
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. board — a committee
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pop — soda
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. last — finally
  21. pop — to visit
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. shower — to wash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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