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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: row · suit · cabinet · face · sharp · straw · vault · leaves

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. row — a line
  12. suit — in cards
  13. vault — a safe
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. row — to paddle
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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