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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.

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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lean — to bend
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lean — thin
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rash — hasty
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pitch — completely
  24. perch — for a bird

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