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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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. court — of law
  4. court — for sport
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bank — for money
  8. shower — to wash
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. court — of a king
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. snap — to click
  17. board — to get on
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. sharp — clever
  23. board — a committee
  24. bank — of a river

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