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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 · jam · rest · content · board · hide · face · track

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. track — a path
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. track — to keep track
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. track — a song
  10. face — part of the head
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. face — to confront
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. content — the amount
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. board — to get on
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — a committee
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. content — happy

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