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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rest — what's left
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. chip — to eat
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pit — a hole
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. chip — for betting
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. face — to confront
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rush — hurry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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