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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: racket · chip · cabinet · face · stand · sharp · field · saw

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. field — for sport
  5. face — to confront
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. face — part of the head
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. face — to point toward
  19. saw — the tool
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — farmland
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stand — to bear

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