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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. face — to confront
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rest — a break
  12. bank — for money
  13. face — part of the head
  14. rest — what's left
  15. staff — employees
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. staff — employees
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bank — for money
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rest — what's left
  24. staff — a stick

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