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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: craft · band · shower · bowl · chair · racket · lean · can

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lean — thin
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. craft — a skill
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. can — a tin
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. chair — a leader
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. lean — to bend
  22. band — a ring
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. craft — boats

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