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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 116 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: dip · fan · lash · court · pop · pass

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. court — for sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pop — music
  13. court — of law
  14. pop — to visit
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pop — soda
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. court — of a king

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