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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wound — an injury
  3. firm — decided
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wound — an injury
  7. face — part of the head
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — steady
  10. face — to confront
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. firm — a company
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. staff — a stick
  19. band — a music group
  20. staff — employees
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. staff — employees
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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