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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: face · shower · cabinet · wind · bowl · key · charge · stand

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. face — part of the head
  5. charge — a price
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wind — moving air
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. shower — to wash
  12. key — in music
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. charge — in control
  21. stand — to bear
  22. key — for a lock
  23. shower — rain
  24. face — to confront

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