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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: cabinet · toast · stem · court · wave · face · key · rash

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. court — of law
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. face — part of the head
  6. rash — hasty
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. face — to confront
  10. toast — bread
  11. court — of a king
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. key — for a lock
  17. court — for sport
  18. key — in music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — a series

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