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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
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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: cold · can · spell · drill · toast · wave · hide · chair

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. can — a tin
  4. chair — a leader
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cold — not warm
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. drill — a practice
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cold — an illness
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. can — a tin
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. toast — bread
  19. can — to be able to
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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