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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.

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: calf · wave · bat · mate · board · safe · season · fan

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bat — the animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mate — a friend
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. season — of the year
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. board — to get on
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — in sport
  24. safe — out of danger

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