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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: fine · snap · wound · suit · pass · saw · shower · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. suit — to fit
  3. staff — employees
  4. shower — to wash
  5. staff — a stick
  6. saw — the tool
  7. shower — rain
  8. fine — all right
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. snap — to click
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pass — a permit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wound — an injury
  19. fine — high quality
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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