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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: drill · chair · pop · lean · cabinet · shower · pass · rock

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pop — to visit
  3. lean — thin
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pass — a permit
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rock — music
  9. drill — a practice
  10. pop — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pop — soda
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rock — a stone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lean — to bend
  19. shower — rain
  20. chair — a leader
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. shower — to wash
  23. drill — the tool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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