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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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. kid — to tease
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. face — to confront
  6. season — in sport
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pit — in a race
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. kid — child
  15. season — of the year
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pit — a hole
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — for money
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bank — for money

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