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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: saw · calf · pop · hide · wave · season · rush · plane

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. season — in sport
  4. pop — to visit
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pop — music
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pop — soda
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. season — of the year
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rush — hurry
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a 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