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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. object — to protest
  3. spell — a short time
  4. shower — to wash
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. object — a thing
  9. spell — letters
  10. pop — music
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pop — soda
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. shower — rain
  19. pop — to visit
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. cue — for pool
  22. spell — magic
  23. object — an aim
  24. cabinet — ministers

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