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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · cue · lie · wave · hide · fork · wax · spell

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. spell — letters
  5. ball — a great time
  6. spell — magic
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cue — for pool
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fork — in a road
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. spell — a short time

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