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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. board — a committee
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. snap — to click
  5. tear — from crying
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. swing — in golf
  8. board — to get on
  9. swing — to play on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. swing — music
  14. rock — music
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. tear — from crying
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently

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