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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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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: stem · coach · drill · snap · can · shower · foot · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. drill — a practice
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. can — a tin
  7. deal — to handle
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. foot — a measure
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. can — a tin
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stem — to come from
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. shower — rain
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. snap — to click

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