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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: pass · wave · rock · tear · leaves · fan · spring · swing

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. spring — of water
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rock — a stone
  5. tear — to rip
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pass — a permit
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. swing — music
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. spring — the season
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. swing — in golf
  15. spring — a coil
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. swing — to play on
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rock — music
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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