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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 · swing · wake · fine · shower · date · vault

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. fine — all right
  6. pass — a permit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. swing — music
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. vault — a safe
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — rain
  21. swing — in golf
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fine — high quality
  24. swing — to play on

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