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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wake — a trail
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pass — a permit
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. drill — a practice
  13. wind — moving air
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. drill — army training
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. drill — the tool
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rush — a thrill

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