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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: spell · perch · pass · calf · lie · tear · rash · mine

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. spell — magic
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pass — a permit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. tear — to rip
  11. spell — letters
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. tear — from crying
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rash — hasty
  17. spell — a short time
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rash — a series
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. tear — from crying

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