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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.

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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 · hide · sharp · clip · fan · spell · rock · safe

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. spell — magic
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — a video
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rock — music
  11. sharp — clever
  12. clip — to cut
  13. rock — a stone
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. spell — letters
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. safe — a strongbox

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