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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: fall · calf · leaves · wound · last · charge · pass · scale

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. fall — the season
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wound — an injury
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — final
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wound — an injury
  20. last — finally
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. charge — in control
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. scale — in music

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