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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · face · snap · charge · patient · foot

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. charge — in control
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. charge — electricity
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. face — to confront
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. face — to point toward
  14. charge — a price
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. snap — to click
  18. face — part of the head

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