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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
468
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 · current · perch · chair · mug · face · present · pitcher

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. chair — a leader
  6. mug — a cup
  7. current — happening now
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. present — a gift
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. perch — the fish
  14. present — the time now
  15. face — to confront
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mug — a face
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. face — to point toward
  22. current — electric
  23. present — there
  24. current — of water

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