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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. field — a subject
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rush — hurry
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. field — for sport
  17. perch — the fish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. foot — a measure
  21. lean — thin
  22. field — farmland
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rush — a thrill

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