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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · fine · hide · pass · bay · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rule — a law
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rule — government
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bay — a horse colour

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