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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: face · pitcher · pound · calf · game · charge · rule · date

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. date — the fruit
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. face — to point toward
  8. charge — in control
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. face — to confront
  11. rule — a law
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. game — a match
  17. pound — a weight
  18. face — part of the head
  19. game — wild animals
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. charge — a price

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