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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: sharp · rash · lie · perch · pass · nail · foot · coach

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. foot — a measure
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rash — a series
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. sharp — clever
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. perch — the fish
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rash — hasty

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