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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. suit — in cards
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rule — government
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. spring — the season
  9. tear — from crying
  10. spring — a coil
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mark — a trace
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pass — a permit
  16. swing — to play on
  17. suit — clothes
  18. tear — to rip
  19. rule — a law
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. spring — of water
  23. swing — music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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