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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 116 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pop — to visit
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. face — to confront
  10. mate — a partner
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mate — a friend
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pop — music
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bore — to tire
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mate — to breed
  20. pit — a hole
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pop — soda
  24. bore — to drill

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