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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: plane · deal · shower · can · jam · drill · bark · club

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. can — to be able to
  5. shower — rain
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. can — a tin
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — the tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. shower — to wash
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. plane — a tool
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. club — for golf

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