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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. scale — in music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pop — to visit
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. face — to confront
  16. pop — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. stock — shares
  20. rock — music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pop — soda
  23. scale — size or range
  24. nail — for a hammer

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