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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: calf · fork · season · suit · band · chip · wave · land

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chip — for betting
  3. band — a ring
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. land — a country
  7. suit — in cards
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. band — a music group
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. suit — to fit
  24. calf — of the leg

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