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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · bound · cue · wave · cold · craft · hide · bulb

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cold — an illness
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. bound — certain
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. spell — a short time
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — boats
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — letters
  24. hide — animal skin

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