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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 · track · deal · pit · bowl · charge · pass · craft

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. shower — to wash
  3. charge — in control
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. charge — electricity
  7. shower — rain
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. track — a path
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. charge — a price
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. track — a song
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pass — a permit
  22. craft — boats
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pass — to succeed

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