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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: hand · face · firm · bowl · present · wave · fall · calf

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. present — a gift
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fall — the season
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. face — to confront
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fall — to drop
  11. firm — a company
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fall — to drop
  17. firm — steady
  18. face — part of the head
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. present — there
  21. hand — in cards
  22. firm — decided
  23. present — the time now
  24. wave — with your hand

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