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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: pass · hand · wave · calf · file · ball · season · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. hand — help
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pass — a permit
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. file — a document
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ball — a dance
  13. season — of the year
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. season — in sport
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. file — a tool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. file — a line of people
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. season — to add flavour

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