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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fall — the season
  3. rest — what's left
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rest — a break
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lean — thin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rest — what's left

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