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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.

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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: current · band · can · saw · face · bowl · cabinet · craft

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. face — to point toward
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. face — part of the head
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. face — to confront
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. can — to be able to
  13. saw — the tool
  14. current — happening now
  15. craft — boats
  16. current — electric
  17. band — a music group
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. current — of water
  20. band — a ring
  21. craft — a skill
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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