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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
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: race · hide · suit · wave · cabinet · stand · pitcher · spell

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stand — to bear
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. race — a contest
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. race — the arms race
  7. spell — magic
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. spell — letters
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — a jug

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