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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 120 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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. land — ground
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. file — a line of people
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. land — to come down
  10. file — a tool
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pass — a permit
  16. file — a document
  17. land — a country
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — a hole
  22. perch — the fish
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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