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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. craft — a skill
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chest — of your body
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. board — a committee
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stem — to come from
  15. board — to get on
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — for light
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chest — a box
  21. face — part of the head
  22. craft — boats
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bulb — for light

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