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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
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 · spring · pass · wave · lie · suit · file · coach

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. suit — to fit
  4. spring — of water
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. file — a line of people
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pass — a permit
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. spring — a coil
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spring — the season

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