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

Word bank: fine · drill · rest · bear · chest · spell · bowl · wave

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fine — high quality
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spell — letters
  6. chest — of your body
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — a box
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fine — all right
  16. rest — a break
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. drill — army training
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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