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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: cabinet · cap · bay · shower · deal · pitcher · can · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. cap — a hat
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. deal — to handle
  23. shower — rain
  24. cap — a lid

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