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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. tube — a container
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bass — low music
  17. stem — to come from
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. tube — the underground
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pass — a permit
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rush — hurry

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