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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rock — a stone
  3. board — to get on
  4. tear — to rip
  5. board — a committee
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. branch — a division
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. track — a path
  15. lean — to bend
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rock — music
  21. lean — thin
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wind — moving air
  24. track — a song

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