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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: ball · shower · leaves · bay · pass · mug · kick · bulb

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. kick — in football
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. bulb — for light
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ball — a great time
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. shower — rain
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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