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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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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: safe · racket · face · cabinet · branch · cold · hide · cell

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. face — to point toward
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cold — an illness
  11. face — to confront
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. branch — a division
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cabinet — ministers

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