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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. shower — rain
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pop — soda
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pop — to visit
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pass — a permit
  15. shower — to wash
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. key — in music
  19. pop — music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. drill — army training
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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