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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.

Make a worksheet

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

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rest — a break
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rest — what's left
  5. game — wild animals
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. game — a match
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rash — a series
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. deal — to handle
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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