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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: bear · rest · nail · ball · shower · saw · kick · game

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. ball — a great time
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. ball — a dance
  9. shower — to wash
  10. saw — the tool
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rest — a break
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rest — what's left
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bear — the animal
  21. game — wild animals
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kick — in football
  24. bear — 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