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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · straw · prune · racket · shower · hide · bowl · season

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. shower — rain
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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