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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 · bay · stick · bowl · cap · jam · mouse · mug

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mug — a face
  5. shower — to wash
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cap — a hat
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. shower — rain
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. mug — a cup
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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