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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: mate · board · staff · leaves · face · saw · nail · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. face — part of the head
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mate — to breed
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. staff — employees
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. face — to point toward
  12. board — a committee
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mate — a friend
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mate — a partner
  19. staff — employees
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. staff — a stick
  22. face — to confront
  23. board — to get on
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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