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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: calf · pop · sharp · wave · face · cap · present · rest

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. present — a gift
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pop — soda
  5. cap — of ice
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pop — to visit
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. present — the time now
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rest — what's left
  19. present — there
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rest — a break
  23. pop — music
  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