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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: wave · press · rule · mate · ball · season · perch · wound

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. press — newspapers
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wound — an injury
  5. press — to push
  6. season — in sport
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rule — government
  11. mate — a partner
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ball — a dance
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rule — a law
  19. perch — the fish
  20. season — of the year
  21. mate — a friend
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wound — an injury
  24. ball — a great 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