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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. firm — a company
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bulb — for light
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cell — in biology
  13. firm — decided
  14. face — to point toward
  15. firm — steady
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. band — a ring
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bulb — for light
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. leaves — of a tree

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