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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pitcher · foot · shower · fine · bark · rest · plane

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rest — what's left
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rest — a break
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rest — what's left
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fine — all right
  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