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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: calf · charge · mouse · face · track · pass · bat · row

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. charge — a price
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bat — the animal
  10. face — to point toward
  11. track — a song
  12. pass — a permit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — electricity
  15. row — to paddle
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. row — a line
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. face — to confront
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bat — for baseball

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