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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 116 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: wave · pass · rest · nail · charge · lie · clip · calf

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. lie — to recline
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. clip — for paper
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — in control
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. rest — a break
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — a video
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. charge — a price
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — a permit

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