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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
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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: rush · drill · cap · stand · swing · prune · shower · bowl

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. shower — to wash
  7. swing — music
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. drill — army training
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. swing — to play on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. drill — a practice
  22. shower — rain
  23. swing — in golf
  24. prune — to trim

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