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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.

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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: wave · mug · cap · roll · file · deal · calf · face

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mug — a face
  5. roll — a cake
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. file — a tool
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cap — a lid
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. face — to point toward
  14. file — a line of people
  15. mug — to rob
  16. file — a document
  17. deal — to handle
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cap — a hat
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mug — a cup
  24. cap — of ice

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