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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. spell — magic
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. saw — the tool
  6. spell — a short time
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. shower — to wash
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. court — of a king
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. court — for sport
  14. hand — help
  15. shower — rain
  16. spell — letters
  17. court — of law
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. saw — the tool
  21. hand — in cards
  22. pass — a permit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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