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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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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 · shower · cell · clip · ruler · roll · mark · content

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. content — the amount
  5. shower — rain
  6. mark — a grade
  7. roll — a list
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cell — a phone
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. clip — to cut
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. shower — to wash
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. clip — a video
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. clip — for paper
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. content — happy

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