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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
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: hide · wave · pitch · toast · fan · ball · spell · temple

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. spell — letters
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pitch — completely
  18. toast — bread
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. spell — magic
  22. ball — a great time
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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