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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · chip · present · shower · content · net

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. chip — for betting
  6. content — the amount
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. content — happy
  13. net — for catching
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. present — a gift
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pass — a permit
  18. shower — a meteor shower

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