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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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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: stick · rush · ball · wave · pound · calf · face · lean

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. ball — a round shape
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. face — to confront
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. lean — thin
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. face — part of the head
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. face — to point toward
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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