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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. row — a line
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pit — a hole
  9. firm — decided
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — steady
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fall — the season
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pit — in a race
  18. row — to paddle
  19. fall — to drop
  20. firm — a company
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mug — a cup
  24. perch — for a bird

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