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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. file — a document
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rush — hurry
  5. face — to point toward
  6. shower — to wash
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. face — part of the head
  9. file — a tool
  10. game — a match
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. face — to confront
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. shower — rain
  19. file — a line of people
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. game — wild animals
  24. nail — for a hammer

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