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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: ball · wave · charge · scale · calf · game · land · spell

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. spell — a short time
  4. charge — a price
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. spell — magic
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. scale — size or range
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. land — a country
  14. game — wild animals
  15. spell — letters
  16. land — ground
  17. ball — a great time
  18. charge — in control
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. land — to come down
  22. scale — in music
  23. game — a match
  24. wave — a sudden rise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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