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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 116 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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. march — the month
  3. bound — obliged
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. cue — for pool
  11. season — in sport
  12. cue — a hint
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. march — music
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bound — tied together
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. season — of the year
  20. tear — from crying
  21. march — the month
  22. bound — certain
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. wave — of the sea

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