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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: can · snap · rest · chair · fan · pass · lie · bear

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pass — a permit
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. can — a tin
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. chair — a leader
  15. snap — to click
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rest — what's left
  19. can — a tin
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rest — a break

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