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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.

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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spell — magic
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. spell — a short time
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. tube — a container
  10. spell — letters
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. rule — a law
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rule — government
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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