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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
468
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: present · calf · rock · scale · face · pound · band · staff

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. staff — employees
  3. band — a music group
  4. face — to point toward
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. present — the time now
  7. rock — a stone
  8. present — a gift
  9. staff — employees
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. staff — a stick
  13. scale — size or range
  14. face — to confront
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. present — there
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — to hit hard

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