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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: face · row · tube · last · stand · charge · stick · cabinet

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. last — finally
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. face — part of the head
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. charge — in control
  12. face — to point toward
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. last — to go on
  17. stand — to bear
  18. charge — a price
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. face — to confront
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. last — final
  24. stand — on your feet

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