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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. face — part of the head
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. scale — in music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. scale — size or range
  13. branch — a division
  14. degree — temperature
  15. degree — from a university
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. suit — in cards
  18. face — to point toward
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. suit — to fit
  21. degree — an amount
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. suit — clothes
  24. face — to confront

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