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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rock — music
  7. chip — to eat
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. toast — bread
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. face — to confront
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rock — a stone
  18. clip — a video
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — to cut
  24. rock — to move gently

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