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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.

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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: season · deal · fine · rest · straw · wave · bore · wake

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bore — to drill
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bore — to tire
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. season — of the year
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rest — what's left
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rest — what's left
  20. season — in sport
  21. wake — a trail
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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