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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. foot — a measure
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. face — part of the head
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. squash — to crush
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. race — humankind
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. face — to point toward
  17. race — a contest
  18. face — to confront
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. race — the arms race
  21. squash — the sport
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. toast — bread
  24. squash — the vegetable

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