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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. current — happening now
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. season — of the year
  7. current — electric
  8. stock — shares
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. current — of water
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. face — part of the head
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. season — in sport
  16. face — to confront
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — a soup base

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