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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.

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: tube · staff · wave · board · kid · season · lean · wake

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wake — a trail
  4. board — a committee
  5. tube — a container
  6. staff — employees
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. lean — thin
  9. season — in sport
  10. kid — to tease
  11. season — of the year
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lean — to bend
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. staff — employees
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. kid — child
  23. board — to get on
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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