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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 116 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. band — a music group
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. band — a ring
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. face — to confront
  12. can — a tin
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. spell — magic
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mine — for digging
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. spell — letters
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. can — to be able to
  24. nail — for a hammer

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