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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 116 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 · nail · fall · hide · cap · board · spell · bear

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cap — a lid
  3. board — to get on
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cap — a hat
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. cap — of ice
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. spell — letters
  20. board — a committee
  21. fall — to drop
  22. spell — magic
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wave — with your hand

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