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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: wave · rest · craft · lean · kick · face · cue · spell

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rest — a break
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. lean — thin
  12. face — to confront
  13. kick — in football
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. craft — boats
  22. lean — to bend
  23. kick — with a leg
  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