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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: spell · hide · pass · row · toast · current · file · saw

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. toast — bread
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. file — a line of people
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. current — electric
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. spell — a short time
  11. row — to paddle
  12. spell — magic
  13. file — a tool
  14. spell — letters
  15. file — a document
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. saw — the tool
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. current — of water
  21. saw — the tool
  22. current — happening now
  23. pass — a permit
  24. row — a line

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