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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
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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: present · face · arm · wave · land · calf · sharp · mark

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — the time now
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. present — there
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. land — to come down
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. land — ground
  16. sharp — clever
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. face — part of the head
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. face — to point toward
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. land — a country
  24. face — to confront

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