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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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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: toast · wind · fall · calf · pop · charge · bear · cap

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cap — of ice
  8. charge — electricity
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fall — the season
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. charge — in control
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. charge — a price
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pop — soda
  23. toast — bread
  24. wind — moving air

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