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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. face — to point toward
  4. stock — shares
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. plane — a tool
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rest — a break
  14. object — an aim
  15. pitch — completely
  16. object — to protest
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. face — to confront
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. object — a thing
  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