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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: wind · cabinet · craft · face · bark · stem · suit · jam

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. suit — in cards
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. craft — boats
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bark — to shout
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wind — moving air
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. face — to confront
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. stem — to come from
  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