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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rush — hurry
  5. track — to keep track
  6. shower — rain
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. present — there
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. can — to be able to
  12. board — to get on
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. present — a gift
  18. pass — a permit
  19. board — a committee
  20. track — a path
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. present — the time now
  23. track — a song
  24. rush — to hurry

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