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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. shower — rain
  4. sharp — clever
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. shower — to wash
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. season — of the year
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. rush — hurry
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. season — in sport
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — a series

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