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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · wake · leaves · face · file · present · calf · mine

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. present — the time now
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. file — a document
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. face — to confront
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. present — a gift
  12. wake — a trail
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. file — a line of people
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. face — to point toward
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. file — a tool
  21. present — there
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mine — for digging

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