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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.

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: hide · drill · shower · season · foot · bass · present · fork

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. season — of the year
  4. drill — the tool
  5. present — there
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fork — in a road
  8. drill — a practice
  9. shower — rain
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. season — in sport
  13. drill — army training
  14. present — the time now
  15. foot — a measure
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. present — a gift
  19. bass — low music
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. shower — to wash

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