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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · wave · foot · rush · pitcher · arm

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. spell — magic
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. spell — letters
  17. rush — hurry
  18. foot — a measure

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