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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 · trunk · rock · shower · cue · mouse · hand · fan

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. row — to paddle
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. row — a line
  11. cue — for pool
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. rock — music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. hand — help
  19. cue — a signal
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. fan — a supporter
  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