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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. squash — to crush
  4. band — a ring
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. toast — bread
  7. season — in sport
  8. face — to point toward
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cue — a signal
  15. face — to confront
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. band — a music group
  20. cue — for pool
  21. season — of the year
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. band — a rubber band

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