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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.

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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: calf · bank · kick · wave · leaves · suit · safe · clip

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bank — for money
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. clip — to cut
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. suit — in cards
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. clip — for paper
  21. clip — a video
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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