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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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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: fan · hide · perch · stand · pass · foot · temple · clip

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stand — to bear
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pass — a permit
  7. clip — a video
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. clip — to cut
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. clip — for paper
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. foot — part of the body

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