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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bass — the fish
  4. present — the time now
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bass — low music
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. fine — all right
  12. shower — to wash
  13. can — to be able to
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. present — a gift
  19. pop — soda
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — there
  23. shower — rain
  24. pop — music

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