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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: cabinet · face · season · key · bark · bass · wound · ruler

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. season — of the year
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. season — in sport
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bass — the fish
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. key — in music
  13. bass — low music
  14. face — to point toward
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. face — to confront
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — to shout
  24. ruler — for measuring

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