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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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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. face — to point toward
  12. snap — to click
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. face — to confront
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lean — to bend

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