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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · face · rest · stem · safe · rule · tear · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wind — moving air
  3. face — to point toward
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rest — what's left
  9. face — to confront
  10. rule — government
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. swing — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wind — moving air
  17. face — part of the head
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rest — what's left
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rest — a break
  24. rule — a law

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