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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 116 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: cabinet · chair · mark · pop · ruler · straw · track · face

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. track — to keep track
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. face — to point toward
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pop — music
  15. chair — a leader
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. face — to confront
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pop — soda
  23. mark — a trace
  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