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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: band · season · deal · pitcher · nail · shower · can · staff

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. season — of the year
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. season — in sport
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. staff — a stick
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. band — a music group
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. shower — to wash
  14. staff — employees
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. staff — employees
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. can — a tin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. band — a ring
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. can — a tin
  24. deal — to handle

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