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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: rock · game · fan · squash · bore · nail · shower · cap

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. game — a match
  12. bore — to drill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rock — a stone
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. cap — a lid
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rock — music
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rock — to move gently

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