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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.

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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: shower · snap · nail · pass · band · squash · cap · ball

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pass — a permit
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. snap — to click
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. shower — to wash
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cap — a lid
  13. band — a music group
  14. cap — of ice
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. squash — to crush
  18. band — a ring
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. shower — rain

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