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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: suit · pass · drill · shower · fine · board · rash · object

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pass — a permit
  4. object — an aim
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. suit — to fit
  7. board — to get on
  8. drill — army training
  9. suit — clothes
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rash — hasty
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rash — a series
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. object — to protest
  16. fine — all right
  17. board — a committee
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. shower — rain
  20. drill — a practice
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. object — a thing

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