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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: drill · bay · cap · can · bowl · calf · kick · shower

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. can — a tin
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. cap — of ice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. kick — in football
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. can — to be able to
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. shower — to wash
  21. cap — a lid
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — army training

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