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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: dip · pitcher · shower · pass · last · hand · wave · object

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. shower — rain
  5. last — to go on
  6. object — to protest
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. shower — to wash
  10. last — finally
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. hand — in cards
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. last — final
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. hand — help

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