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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 116 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: cue · deal · charge · cap · bore · shower · saw · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. charge — electricity
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bore — to drill
  8. shower — to wash
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cap — a lid
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. deal — to handle
  20. shower — rain
  21. charge — in control
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. charge — a price

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