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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: drill · wax · can · bowl · shower · rock · hide · cap

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rock — music
  4. can — a tin
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. drill — army training
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. drill — the tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. shower — to wash
  16. drill — a practice
  17. shower — rain
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rock — a stone
  21. can — a tin
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. hide — to keep secret

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