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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mine — for digging
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fork — in a road
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. race — a contest
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. face — part of the head
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. face — to point toward
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. race — humankind
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. can — a tin

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