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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 · face · shower · present · sharp · mate · bank · charge

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cap — a lid
  3. shower — rain
  4. present — the time now
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mate — a friend
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mate — to breed
  11. charge — a price
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bank — for money
  14. cap — a hat
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. face — to confront
  18. charge — electricity
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. charge — in control
  22. sharp — clever
  23. shower — to wash
  24. sharp — with an edge

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