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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. spell — a short time
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. charge — a price
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. charge — in control
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pass — a permit
  15. shower — rain
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — to confront
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. shower — to wash

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