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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 · shower · can · pitcher · ruler · game

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. shower — rain
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. can — a tin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. can — a tin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. pop — music
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — to visit
  17. shower — to wash
  18. game — wild animals

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