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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: firm · face · drill · mug · shower · dip · rash · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. dip — to sink
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cell — in biology
  7. firm — steady
  8. face — to point toward
  9. drill — army training
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. firm — a company
  12. drill — a practice
  13. shower — to wash
  14. face — to confront
  15. rash — hasty
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mug — a face
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mug — a cup
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. firm — decided
  24. rash — a series

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