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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: pass · mine · leaves · fan · season · ruler · lie · snap

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mine — for digging
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. snap — to click
  12. pass — a permit
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. ruler — for measuring

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