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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mate — to breed
  9. face — to confront
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. face — part of the head
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mug — a cup
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. tube — a container
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mate — a partner
  22. tube — the underground
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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