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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: calf · wound · charge · wave · field · wake · key · firm

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. charge — in control
  5. key — for a lock
  6. field — farmland
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. key — in music
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. firm — a company
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wake — a trail
  13. key — the most important part
  14. charge — electricity
  15. field — a subject
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. wound — an injury
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. firm — steady
  22. field — for sport
  23. charge — a price
  24. wake — before a funeral

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