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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. staff — a stick
  3. face — to point toward
  4. staff — employees
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. face — part of the head
  7. kid — child
  8. face — to confront
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. season — of the year
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. suit — in cards
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. season — in sport
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. chip — to eat
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. suit — clothes

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