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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. tear — from crying
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. tear — from crying
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. spell — a short time
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. spell — letters
  14. rule — a law
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. hand — help
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. hand — in cards
  23. rule — government
  24. spell — magic

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