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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.

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: stand · face · bowl · board · pitcher · cabinet · last · chest

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. face — part of the head
  4. board — a committee
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. board — to get on
  9. chest — of your body
  10. last — finally
  11. last — to go on
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. last — final
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. face — to confront
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. face — to point toward

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