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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: net · deal · cap · object · fine · shower · pass · temple

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. shower — to wash
  3. net — in sport
  4. object — a thing
  5. shower — rain
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. net — after costs
  10. cap — a lid
  11. object — to protest
  12. net — for catching
  13. deal — to handle
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fine — high quality
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fine — all right
  23. object — an aim
  24. pass — a permit

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