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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: face · charge · bowl · land · calf · cabinet · season · scale

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. season — in sport
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. season — of the year
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — a price
  10. land — ground
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. land — to come down
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. charge — in control
  15. face — to confront
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. scale — size or range
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. face — to point toward
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. charge — electricity
  24. calf — a young animal

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