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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: wave · hand · charge · lie · mug · dip · calf · toast

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mug — to rob
  5. toast — bread
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. hand — help
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. charge — electricity
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. charge — in control
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  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