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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.

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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: leaves · bulb · face · charge · calf · scale · date · prune

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. charge — in control
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bulb — for light
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. charge — a price
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. date — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bulb — for light
  24. prune — the fruit

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