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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: row · pitcher · bore · kid · shower · rush · club · suit

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. kid — child
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. shower — rain
  11. suit — to fit
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. club — for golf
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bore — to tire
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. row — a line
  22. suit — clothes
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. kid — to tease

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