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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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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 · season · can · lean · file · hide

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. file — a line of people
  6. lean — to bend
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. file — a tool
  10. season — of the year
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. file — a document
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lean — thin
  17. season — in sport
  18. lean — to rest against

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