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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: shower · fine · mug · fan · board · pop · sharp · mate

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. pop — soda
  3. fine — high quality
  4. shower — rain
  5. mate — a partner
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mug — a face
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pop — to visit
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mug — a cup
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. board — to get on
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mate — to breed
  20. board — a committee
  21. pop — music
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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