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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
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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: ruler · season · net · land · calf · date · charge · cap

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. season — of the year
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. date — the fruit
  7. land — to come down
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. land — ground
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. net — in sport
  13. charge — in control
  14. net — after costs
  15. season — in sport
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. land — a country
  21. charge — electricity
  22. net — for catching
  23. charge — a price
  24. date — on the calendar

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