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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 · land · charge · calf · stick · firm · date · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. land — ground
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — a company
  6. face — to point toward
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — in control
  13. ball — a dance
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. charge — a price
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. firm — steady
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ball — a great time
  23. face — to confront
  24. firm — decided

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