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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 120 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pop — soda
  4. face — to point toward
  5. band — a ring
  6. swing — music
  7. content — the amount
  8. present — the time now
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. swing — to play on
  12. deal — to handle
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. present — a gift
  15. content — happy
  16. face — part of the head
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. face — to confront
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. band — a music group
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pop — music
  23. present — there
  24. pop — to visit

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