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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
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: calf · ball · perch · board · charge · cap · band · firm

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. ball — a great time
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. cap — of ice
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. charge — a price
  14. firm — decided
  15. charge — electricity
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. board — to get on
  18. band — a music group
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cap — a hat
  21. board — a committee
  22. charge — in control
  23. cap — a lid
  24. band — a rubber band

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