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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 120 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
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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: wave · wind · pop · hide · saw · pit · craft · spell

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pit — in a race
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. spell — letters
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wind — moving air
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pop — to visit
  16. craft — boats
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pop — soda
  20. saw — the tool
  21. spell — magic
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. craft — a skill

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