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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — a video
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fall — to drop
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. spell — a short time
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. clip — for paper

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