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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. race — a contest
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. firm — steady
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. race — humankind
  11. object — an aim
  12. race — the arms race
  13. land — ground
  14. object — to protest
  15. firm — decided
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. firm — a company
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — a friend
  21. object — a thing
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mate — to breed
  24. leaves — lets stay

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