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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 120 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
468
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: wake · fine · nail · straw · cap · rock · pass · shower

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pass — a permit
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cap — a hat
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. fine — all right
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fine — high quality
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rock — music
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. straw — dry grass

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