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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: season · wave · wake · pop · rule · object · leaves · mouse

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wake — a trail
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pop — soda
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. object — an aim
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. season — in sport
  19. object — to protest
  20. season — of the year
  21. pop — to visit
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. object — a thing

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