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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: pit · ball · staff · wave · calf · roll · charge · lash

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. roll — a list
  3. staff — employees
  4. roll — a cake
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. charge — in control
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. staff — a stick
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. charge — a price
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ball — a great time

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