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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: pop · cabinet · game · rule · wave · toast · spell · calf

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rule — government
  7. spell — letters
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pop — music
  12. spell — a short time
  13. toast — bread
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. spell — magic
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. game — a match
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. game — wild animals
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rule — a law
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rule — to rule out

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