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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. net — in sport
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. object — to protest
  5. net — for catching
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wound — an injury
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. object — an aim
  14. saw — the tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. net — after costs
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pass — a permit
  24. object — a thing

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