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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: date · content · fan · fork · pass · shower · rock · drill

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. date — the fruit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. drill — army training
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. content — happy
  13. shower — rain
  14. rock — a stone
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rock — music
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. drill — the tool
  22. pass — a permit
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. date — on the calendar

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