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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.

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: squash · spell · coach · wind · saw · drill · rash · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. saw — the tool
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rash — hasty
  8. drill — army training
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. spell — magic
  22. squash — the sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. drill — the tool

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