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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: cap · pop · bowl · stand · drill · present · stick · fan

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pop — music
  4. drill — army training
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. drill — the tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pop — soda
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cap — of ice
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. pop — to visit
  22. present — there
  23. bowl — a dish
  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