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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. tear — from crying
  5. row — to paddle
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pass — a permit
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. tear — to rip
  16. fine — high quality
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. row — a line

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