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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: pass · rush · shower · roll · spell · pitcher · can · last

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. spell — a short time
  6. roll — a list
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pass — a permit
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — final
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. spell — magic
  16. roll — a cake
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rush — hurry
  19. can — to be able to
  20. last — finally
  21. spell — letters
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. rush — a thrill

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