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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: wax · pitcher · mine · cabinet · roll · bear · can · shower

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. roll — a list
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. can — a tin
  5. shower — to wash
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mine — for digging
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. can — a tin
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. can — to be able to
  23. shower — rain
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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