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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.

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: pit · pass · sharp · net · ruler · fan · fall · land

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. land — ground
  3. net — after costs
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. net — for catching
  14. sharp — clever
  15. land — a country
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. land — to come down
  19. pit — a hole
  20. net — in sport
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fall — to drop

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