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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 116 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: dip · season · drill · mouse · hand · fan · safe · band

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. dip — to sink
  3. band — a ring
  4. hand — help
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. hand — in cards
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. season — of the year
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. drill — a practice
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. drill — army training
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. drill — the tool
  22. band — a music group
  23. season — in sport
  24. fan — a supporter

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