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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. deal — an agreement
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fall — the season
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bowl — a football final
  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