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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: cap · chip · calf · wave · date · charge · bulb · band

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cap — a hat
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. cap — of ice
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. charge — a price
  12. cap — a lid
  13. charge — electricity
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. band — a ring
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bulb — for light
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. chip — to eat
  24. band — a music group

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