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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rash — hasty
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. object — to protest
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mine — for digging
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. object — an aim
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rash — a series
  18. object — a thing
  19. perch — the fish
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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