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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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 — calm and waiting
  3. toast — bread
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. kid — child
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. chip — to eat
  14. face — to confront
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. kid — to tease
  24. patient — a sick person

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