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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: cell · calf · hide · charge · racket · shower · face · stock

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. face — part of the head
  6. charge — electricity
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. cell — a phone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stock — goods
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. face — to point toward
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — to wash
  20. face — to confront
  21. charge — in control
  22. stock — shares
  23. cell — in biology
  24. charge — a price

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