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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. mark — a trace
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bulb — for light
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. face — to confront
  8. toast — bread
  9. chair — a leader
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. rest — what's left
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rest — what's left
  16. band — a ring
  17. rest — a break
  18. band — a music group
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. face — to point toward
  24. band — a rubber band

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