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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: tear · key · fan · drill · mug · racket · shower · rush

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mug — to rob
  4. drill — a practice
  5. shower — to wash
  6. key — in music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mug — a face
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mug — a cup
  14. tear — from crying
  15. key — the most important part
  16. drill — army training
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. tear — from crying
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — rain
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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