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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: pass · court · tube · cabinet · face · charge · trunk · deal

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. deal — to handle
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. charge — in control
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. tube — a container
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. court — for sport
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pass — a permit
  12. court — of law
  13. face — to confront
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. court — of a king
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. face — part of the head
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. charge — a price
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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