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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rest — what's left
  4. face — to point toward
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. face — part of the head
  7. cap — a lid
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rest — what's left
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stand — to bear
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rest — a break
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. cap — a hat
  23. face — to confront
  24. ball — a round shape

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