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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 · can · calf · rush · face · cell · pitch · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. face — to confront
  3. pitch — completely
  4. field — a subject
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. can — a tin
  9. field — farmland
  10. cell — in biology
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. can — a tin
  14. face — to point toward
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rush — to hurry

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