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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: face · bear · calf · wake · content · wave · safe · last

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. face — part of the head
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bear — the animal
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. content — happy
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. face — to confront
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. last — final
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. content — the amount
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. safe — out of danger

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