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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.

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: stand · season · shower · chair · stick · pitcher · can · mouse

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. can — a tin
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stand — to bear
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. shower — rain
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. season — in sport
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. can — a tin
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. season — of the year
  23. chair — a leader
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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