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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: charge · face · bat · kick · band · calf · can · wave

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a music group
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. face — to point toward
  8. can — a tin
  9. charge — in control
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. band — a ring
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. face — to confront
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. charge — a price
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bat — the animal

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