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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. cell — in biology
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. face — to point toward
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. file — a tool
  8. current — of water
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. file — a line of people
  11. current — electric
  12. branch — a division
  13. mug — a face
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. current — happening now
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. face — to confront
  18. season — in sport
  19. cell — a phone
  20. face — part of the head
  21. season — of the year
  22. file — a document
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mug — a cup

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