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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wound · wave · season · scale · spell · wake · stick · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  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. squash — to crush
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. squash — the sport
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. season — in sport
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. spell — magic
  18. wound — an injury
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wound — an injury
  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