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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: pitch · wave · spell · stock · cold · wound · lie · hide

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stock — goods
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — shares
  11. spell — letters
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wound — an injury
  14. spell — magic
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cold — an illness
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cold — not warm
  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