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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.

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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: firm · club · cell · land · can · face · mate · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. face — to confront
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. club — for dancing
  5. land — a country
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. cell — in biology
  9. club — a group
  10. cell — a phone
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. face — part of the head
  14. land — to come down
  15. mate — a partner
  16. face — to point toward
  17. firm — a company
  18. land — ground
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — to breed
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. saw — the tool
  24. club — for golf

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