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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.

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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 · bass · face · pound · rush · firm · season · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. firm — decided
  3. season — of the year
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bass — the fish
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. shower — rain
  13. face — to confront
  14. firm — steady
  15. face — part of the head
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bass — low music
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pass — a permit
  21. firm — a company
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. season — in sport

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