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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. shower — rain
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pop — soda
  5. row — a line
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rock — music
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. row — to paddle
  10. chair — a leader
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pass — a permit
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cap — a hat
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rock — a stone
  20. shower — to wash
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pop — music
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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