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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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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: spell · pass · lean · shower · mouse · fine · prune · swing

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. spell — magic
  3. fine — high quality
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. fine — all right
  6. spell — a short time
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. prune — to trim
  10. spell — letters
  11. swing — to play on
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. swing — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. lean — thin
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. swing — in golf
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. prune — to trim

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