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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. rest — a break
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bank — of a river
  7. spell — letters
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. spell — a short time
  13. face — to point toward
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. face — part of the head
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bank — for money
  18. spell — magic
  19. bank — for money
  20. face — to confront
  21. key — in music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rest — what's left

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