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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rest · spell · bulb · cabinet · board · cap · craft · face

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — magic
  4. board — to get on
  5. face — to confront
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. craft — boats
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rest — a break
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rest — what's left
  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