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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.

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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: stand · cap · squash · pound · rush · shower · fan · hide

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. shower — rain
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. shower — to wash
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pound — a weight
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cap — a hat

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