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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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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. tear — to rip
  3. rule — government
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bank — for money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rule — a law
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tear — from crying
  15. season — in sport
  16. bank — of a river
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bank — for money
  21. season — of the year
  22. tear — from crying
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bulb — for light

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