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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 116 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: can · season · rush · mug · scale · shower · mark · cap

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rush — hurry
  4. can — to be able to
  5. mug — a face
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. can — a tin
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. season — in sport
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. shower — rain
  15. scale — size or range
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. cap — a hat
  19. scale — in music
  20. season — of the year
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mug — to rob
  24. rush — a thrill

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