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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. sharp — clever
  8. charge — in control
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. vault — a safe
  11. charge — a price
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. charge — electricity
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lie — to recline
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. face — to point toward

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