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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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. lie — to recline
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. land — ground
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. land — to come down
  16. pass — a permit
  17. land — a country
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mouse — the animal
  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