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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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. saw — the tool
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. capital — money
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. suit — to fit
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. suit — in cards
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — to point toward
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. capital — a city

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