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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: rule · patient · shower · spell · fork · bass · cap · can

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bass — low music
  10. cap — of ice
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. can — a tin
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bass — the fish
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rule — a law
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cap — a hat
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — magic

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