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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.

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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: rush · wake · bear · press · spell · land · wave · cabinet

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. spell — letters
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. land — to come down
  10. press — to push
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. land — ground
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. spell — a short time
  23. press — a publisher
  24. spell — magic

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