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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
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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: nail · pass · hide · wave · spell · bowl · bore · clip

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. spell — letters
  9. clip — a video
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. clip — to cut
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. spell — magic
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pass — to spend time

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