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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lean — thin
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. bank — for money
  6. lean — to bend
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rule — a law
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. tear — to rip
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rule — government
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. tear — from crying
  21. swing — in golf
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pass — a permit

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