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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 · sharp · ball · present · face · cabinet · bass · suit

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. present — the time now
  4. wind — moving air
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. suit — in cards
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. suit — clothes
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bass — low music
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. present — a gift
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. present — there
  18. bass — the fish
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wind — moving air
  21. sharp — clever
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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