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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: pitcher · bay · cap · cue · shower · bass · dip · drill

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bass — low music
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — rain
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cue — a signal
  13. drill — army training
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cue — a hint
  18. shower — to wash
  19. drill — the tool
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cap — a lid
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cap — a hat
  24. drill — a practice

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