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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. rule — government
  5. swing — in golf
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. swing — to play on
  10. prune — to trim
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. chest — a box
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stand — to bear
  15. prune — to trim
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chest — of your body
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rule — a law
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. chest — of your body

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