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

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. spell — letters
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. file — a tool
  6. mug — a cup
  7. deal — to handle
  8. file — a line of people
  9. spell — a short time
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. file — a document
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mug — a face
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. spell — magic
  22. rule — government
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. deal — an agreement

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