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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 120 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: suit · straw · rest · press · ball · spell · wave · calf

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rest — a break
  5. press — a publisher
  6. spell — letters
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. press — newspapers
  11. spell — a short time
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. spell — magic
  20. press — to push
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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