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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.

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: wave · can · fan · chest · wake · stand · bear · mug

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mug — a face
  9. chest — a box
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mug — to rob
  12. chest — of your body
  13. can — a tin
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mug — a cup
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. can — a tin

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