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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.

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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: perch · pitch · rule · pass · lie · bay · net · rush

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. net — for catching
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. perch — the fish
  16. net — in sport
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — after costs
  24. pass — to succeed

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