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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: fan · shower · ball · suit · game · current · pass · pound

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. suit — to fit
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pound — a weight
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ball — a dance
  12. game — a match
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. suit — clothes
  15. current — of water
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pass — a permit
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. shower — rain
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. fan — to cool the air

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