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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rock — a stone
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — help
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — steady
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — a company
  14. rock — music
  15. face — to point toward
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. face — to confront
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. wind — moving air
  24. firm — decided

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