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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: calf · staff · wake · board · cap · spell · wave · rush

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rush — hurry
  4. staff — employees
  5. wake — a trail
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cap — of ice
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. spell — letters
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. staff — employees
  15. board — a committee
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spell — magic
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cap — a hat
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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