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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.

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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: fan · squash · track · perch · shower · cabinet · march · firm

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. firm — decided
  4. shower — to wash
  5. march — music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — the sport
  10. shower — rain
  11. firm — a company
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. track — a song
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. squash — to crush
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. track — a path
  24. firm — steady

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