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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
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: shower · content · drill · lie · pass · present · jam · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. drill — the tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pass — a permit
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. content — happy
  17. present — there
  18. shower — rain
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. content — the amount
  22. shower — to wash
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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