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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.

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: calf · mark · charge · face · bear · rash · race · dip

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. race — a contest
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. charge — a price
  8. race — humankind
  9. mark — a trace
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rash — a series
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mark — a grade
  14. face — to confront
  15. bear — the animal
  16. charge — in control
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. face — to point toward
  24. calf — of the leg

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