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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: chip · bulb · face · cabinet · saw · straw · fine · ball

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. chip — for betting
  3. face — to confront
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fine — high quality
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. face — part of the head
  18. fine — all right
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. face — to point toward
  22. ball — a great time
  23. chip — to eat
  24. saw — the tool

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