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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 · mug · band · face · fan · trunk · saw · suit

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mug — to rob
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. face — to confront
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mug — a cup
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. band — a ring
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mug — a face

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