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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 116 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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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: present · firm · hide · shower · drill · pass · snap · suit

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. drill — a practice
  11. present — the time now
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. present — a gift
  14. firm — steady
  15. pass — a permit
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. present — there
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. drill — the tool
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. drill — army training
  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