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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: charge · suit · wind · pass · shower · hand · ball · saw

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. charge — a price
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. suit — clothes
  13. shower — to wash
  14. wind — moving air
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hand — help
  17. wind — moving air
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. hand — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. shower — rain
  24. ball — a great 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