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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. net — for catching
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. suit — to fit
  7. net — after costs
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. drill — army training
  10. shower — to wash
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. net — in sport
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pop — music
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. pass — a permit
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pop — to visit
  24. shower — rain

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