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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. lean — to bend
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lean — thin
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — a supporter

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