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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: fine · shower · dip · snap · fan · track · cabinet · pass

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fine — high quality
  5. shower — rain
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. track — a path
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. snap — to click
  11. shower — to wash
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. track — a song
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. dip — to sink
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. track — to keep track
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — all right

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