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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rock — music
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rock — a stone
  10. face — to confront
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. patient — a sick person

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