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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cold — an illness
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. tear — from crying
  13. season — in sport
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stock — shares
  17. face — to confront
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cold — not warm
  22. season — of the year
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stock — goods

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