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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: face · ball · rest · chair · nail · pop · calf · lash

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. chair — a leader
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — to confront
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pop — music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pop — soda
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pop — to visit
  17. face — part of the head
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. rest — a break
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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