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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: pound · board · racket · cabinet · suit · face · saw · tear

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pound — a weight
  7. saw — the tool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. tear — to rip
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. face — to point toward
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. suit — clothes
  16. tear — from crying
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. suit — in cards
  23. face — to confront
  24. board — to get on

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