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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pit — a hole
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. current — happening now
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. face — to point toward
  14. season — in sport
  15. current — electric
  16. suit — to fit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pit — in a race
  19. snap — to click
  20. season — of the year
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. face — to confront
  23. current — of water
  24. suit — clothes

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