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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mug — a cup
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. scale — size or range
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. suit — in cards
  8. scale — in music
  9. charge — in control
  10. roll — a cake
  11. shower — to wash
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. suit — clothes
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mug — to rob
  17. roll — a list
  18. mug — a face
  19. charge — a price
  20. dip — to sink
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. shower — rain
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. dip — to dunk

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