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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pit — a hole
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. shower — to wash
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pit — in a race
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. shower — rain
  17. plane — a tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. face — to confront
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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