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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: game · key · shower · fork · bass · pass · mate · suit

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. shower — rain
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. mate — a friend
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bass — low music
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mate — a partner
  16. game — wild animals
  17. fork — in a road
  18. shower — to wash
  19. key — for a lock
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. suit — clothes
  23. game — a match
  24. fork — to eat with

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