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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 120 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: kick · cue · spell · spring · suit · safe · bass · wave

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cue — a hint
  8. spring — the season
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cue — for pool
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. suit — in cards
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. kick — in football
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bass — low music
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. suit — clothes
  23. spring — of water
  24. spell — a short time

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