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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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wound — an injury
  4. shower — to wash
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. club — for dancing
  7. shower — rain
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bass — the fish
  12. club — for golf
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. club — a group
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bass — low music
  24. leaves — to go away

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