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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
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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: cap · charge · roll · coach · face · lie · pass · calf

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. face — to point toward
  3. charge — in control
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cap — a lid
  6. charge — a price
  7. cap — of ice
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lie — to recline
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cap — a hat
  19. roll — a list
  20. face — to confront
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. roll — a cake

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