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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.

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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
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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: net · clip · season · stick · wave · cue · rush · wake

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. season — in sport
  7. clip — to cut
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. clip — a video
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. net — for catching
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. clip — for paper

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