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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: ball · leaves · squash · cue · hide · calf · face · band

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. squash — to crush
  5. face — to confront
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. band — a ring
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ball — a great time
  11. face — to point toward
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cue — a signal
  17. band — a music group
  18. cue — a hint
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. face — part of the head
  23. squash — the sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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