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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 120 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: mouse · rash · key · bowl · prune · staff · shower · ruler

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. key — in music
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. staff — a stick
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. staff — employees
  18. key — for a lock
  19. rash — a series
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rash — hasty
  23. staff — employees
  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