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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
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: suit · wave · charge · fall · face · date · bat · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. charge — electricity
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. charge — a price
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — in control
  17. face — to point toward
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bat — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fall — to drop
  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