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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mug — a face
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mug — to rob
  13. shower — to wash
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. shower — rain
  16. plane — a tool
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. plane — in geometry

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