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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pop — music
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pop — soda
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. shower — rain
  18. bulb — for light
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pop — to visit
  22. shower — to wash
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bulb — for light

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