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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: cabinet · degree · shower · suit · spell · arm · trunk · face

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. degree — temperature
  3. face — to point toward
  4. shower — to wash
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. spell — a short time
  12. shower — rain
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — from a university
  15. face — part of the head
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. face — to confront
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. spell — letters
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. spell — magic

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