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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: ball · spell · wave · firm · fan · drill · hide · scale

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. firm — steady
  4. scale — size or range
  5. spell — a short time
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. scale — in music
  8. firm — a company
  9. spell — letters
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. spell — magic
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. drill — army training
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. firm — decided
  21. drill — a practice
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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