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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: spell · mate · fan · object · shower · safe · pass · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — a permit
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. spell — magic
  5. shower — rain
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. object — an aim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. object — a thing
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. spell — letters
  13. object — to protest
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. spell — a short time
  24. nail — for a hammer

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