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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stock — goods
  5. perch — the fish
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pass — a permit
  8. fall — to drop
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kick — in football
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fall — the season
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pass — to spend time

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