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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: lean · can · craft · tear · mug · pitcher · season · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. tear — from crying
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lean — to bend
  5. tear — from crying
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. tear — to rip
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. season — of the year
  12. can — a tin
  13. lean — thin
  14. mug — a cup
  15. shower — to wash
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mug — a face
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. season — in sport
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pitcher — a jug

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