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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.

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: bulb · chip · fan · staff · face · wave · hide · spell

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. spell — magic
  3. face — to point toward
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. staff — employees
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. staff — employees
  21. face — part of the head
  22. staff — a stick
  23. chip — to eat
  24. spell — letters

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