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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: shower · drill · mark · rush · cabinet · chair · suit · toast

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. drill — army training
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mark — a trace
  8. drill — a practice
  9. shower — to wash
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. suit — in cards
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mark — a grade
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. toast — bread
  19. shower — rain
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. chair — a leader

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