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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — to rip
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. saw — the tool
  10. face — part of the head
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wound — an injury
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. face — to confront

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