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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 124 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. shower — rain
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pop — music
  11. race — a contest
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. pop — soda
  20. date — the fruit
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pop — to visit

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