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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. face — to point toward
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. current — of water
  8. kid — to tease
  9. shower — to wash
  10. current — happening now
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kid — child
  16. current — electric
  17. mate — a partner
  18. shower — rain
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. face — to confront
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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