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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: arm · tube · firm · wave · suit · leaves · spell · press

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. suit — to fit
  8. firm — a company
  9. spell — a short time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. firm — decided
  12. press — to push
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. firm — steady
  16. press — newspapers
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. press — a publisher
  24. suit — clothes

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