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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: shower · spell · arm · vault · net · pass · bass · pop

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pass — a permit
  5. spell — a short time
  6. shower — rain
  7. pop — music
  8. bass — low music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. pop — soda
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pop — to visit
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. shower — to wash
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. net — in sport
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. vault — a safe

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