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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 116 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: fan · tube · firm · drill · pitch · shower · trunk · pop

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. drill — the tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. drill — army training
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. firm — a company
  7. tube — a container
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pop — to visit
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pitch — completely
  12. firm — decided
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pop — soda
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pop — music
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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