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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. track — a song
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. can — to be able to
  13. shower — rain
  14. pass — a permit
  15. shower — to wash
  16. can — a tin
  17. mate — to breed
  18. track — a path
  19. can — a tin
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mate — a partner
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. track — to keep track

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