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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 · kick · charge · rush · cue · staff · row · face

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. cue — a hint
  7. face — to confront
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. kick — in football
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. row — to paddle
  20. staff — a stick
  21. charge — electricity
  22. face — to point toward
  23. row — a line
  24. face — part of the head

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