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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 120 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 · cap · bound · ball · present · squash · face · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cap — a hat
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bound — obliged
  6. face — to confront
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bat — the animal
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bound — certain
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. present — the time now
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cap — of ice
  19. present — a gift
  20. face — to point toward
  21. ball — a great time
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cap — a lid
  24. present — there

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