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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
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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: sharp · calf · face · mate · present · cold · foot · rash

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. face — part of the head
  4. present — there
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mate — to breed
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. present — a gift
  10. mate — a partner
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cold — not warm
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rash — hasty
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cold — an illness
  17. rash — a series
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mate — a friend
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. face — to confront

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