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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: lean · net · cabinet · face · key · bank · coach · ruler

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. key — for a lock
  3. net — in sport
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bank — of a river
  7. face — to confront
  8. bank — for money
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bank — for money
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lean — thin
  13. face — part of the head
  14. lean — to bend
  15. net — after costs
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. key — the most important part
  19. net — for catching
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. key — in music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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