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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 120 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. face — part of the head
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. suit — in cards
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. field — a subject
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. field — for sport
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. game — a match
  13. face — to confront
  14. plane — a tool
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. suit — to fit
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. game — wild animals
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. face — to point toward
  23. field — farmland
  24. calf — a young animal

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