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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. face — part of the head
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. kick — in football
  15. face — to confront
  16. foot — a measure
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wake — a trail
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. patient — a sick person

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