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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.

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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: press · fork · bear · kick · spell · wave · safe · bass

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. spell — letters
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. spell — a short time
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. fork — in a road
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. spell — magic
  16. press — newspapers
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. kick — in football
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. press — to push
  24. bear — the animal

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