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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 120 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: bark · suit · face · cabinet · mine · pass · foot · cap

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. face — to point toward
  3. cap — a hat
  4. suit — to fit
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mine — for digging
  10. cap — a lid
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bark — to shout
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pass — a permit
  23. foot — a measure
  24. face — to confront

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