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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: pop · temple · shower · ball · can · rush · mouse · court

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pop — soda
  11. shower — rain
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. court — of law
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. court — for sport
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. can — a tin
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. court — of a king
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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