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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 120 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: face · bark · stem · cue · safe · cabinet · march · lie

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. march — music
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. lie — to recline
  5. face — to point toward
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. face — to confront
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. march — the month
  12. cue — for pool
  13. march — the month
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stem — to come from
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. face — part of the head

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