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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. charge — in control
  7. fall — the season
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fall — to drop
  10. land — a country
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. charge — electricity
  15. land — to come down
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pound — a weight
  19. charge — a price
  20. lie — to recline
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. land — ground
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. sharp — clever

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