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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.

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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: toast · lie · calf · fall · wake · spell · wave · leaves

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. fall — the season
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. spell — a short time
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. fall — to drop
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. toast — bread
  18. spell — magic
  19. wake — a trail
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — to drop
  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