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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 120 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
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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: chair · face · object · bay · ball · land · saw · cabinet

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. object — a thing
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. saw — the tool
  8. object — to protest
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chair — a leader
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. object — an aim
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a great time
  16. land — a country
  17. face — part of the head
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. land — ground
  20. face — to confront
  21. ball — a dance
  22. land — to come down
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. face — to point toward

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