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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: staff · stand · bound · fine · fan · shower · hand · pitcher

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. staff — employees
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. staff — employees
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. shower — rain
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. hand — help
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fine — all right
  18. bound — tied together
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. shower — to wash
  21. hand — in cards
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stand — to bear

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