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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rash — a series
  4. hand — help
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cap — of ice
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. hand — in cards
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. face — part of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cap — a hat
  23. face — to confront
  24. mouse — for a computer

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