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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. face — to confront
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rock — a stone
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rock — music
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. wound — an injury
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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