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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rest — what's left
  5. root — the cause
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. clip — a video
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rest — a break
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cap — of ice
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. clip — to cut
  17. cap — a hat
  18. root — of a word
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. root — of a plant
  21. face — to confront
  22. clip — for paper
  23. cap — a lid
  24. wave — with your hand

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