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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
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 · perch · arm · face · sharp · root · march · band

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. march — music
  3. band — a ring
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. band — a music group
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. march — the month
  16. root — of a plant
  17. face — part of the head
  18. root — of a word
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. march — the month
  21. perch — the fish
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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