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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: face · shower · fan · staff · safe · mouse · sharp · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. staff — employees
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. shower — to wash
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. shower — rain
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. staff — employees
  24. face — to point toward

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