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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: coach · pass · can · wound · mate · band · drill · shower

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. shower — rain
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. can — a tin
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — the tool
  9. mate — a friend
  10. wound — an injury
  11. can — to be able to
  12. drill — army training
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. shower — to wash
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mate — to breed
  20. band — a ring
  21. mate — a partner
  22. band — a music group
  23. drill — a practice
  24. wound — an injury

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