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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.

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: stick · nail · wake · press · bark · calf · wave · can

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. press — to push
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bark — to shout
  8. can — a tin
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. press — newspapers
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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