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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cap — of ice
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. track — a path
  6. cap — a lid
  7. track — to keep track
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. staff — employees
  13. track — a song
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. staff — a stick
  19. hand — help
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. foot — a measure
  22. face — to point toward
  23. staff — employees
  24. face — to confront

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