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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 120 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: can · drill · suit · sharp · nail · shower · band · stem

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. band — a ring
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. can — a tin
  5. shower — rain
  6. can — to be able to
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. drill — the tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stem — to come from
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. drill — army training
  16. band — a music group
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. can — a tin
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. nail — on a finger

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