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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: fan · wave · pit · race · mug · perch · spell · hand

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — to rob
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. spell — letters
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. perch — the fish
  9. spell — magic
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. race — a contest
  16. hand — help
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hand — in cards
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mug — a face
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. perch — for a bird

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