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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: pop · rock · firm · present · bat · fan · shower · mouse

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pop — soda
  3. firm — decided
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rock — music
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. firm — steady
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. firm — a company
  12. pop — music
  13. present — there
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. present — the time now
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bat — the animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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