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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.

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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: cap · kick · mouse · wave · charge · last · calf · face

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. cap — a lid
  3. last — final
  4. last — finally
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. charge — electricity
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. last — to go on
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. charge — in control
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. face — to confront
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. kick — in football
  21. face — part of the head
  22. charge — a price
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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