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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. file — a tool
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. spell — letters
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. craft — boats
  7. file — a document
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. spell — a short time
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ball — a dance
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. file — a line of people

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