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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. court — for sport
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mine — for digging
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. court — of a king
  11. rest — a break
  12. face — to confront
  13. court — of law
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rest — what's left
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. face — to point toward

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