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

Word bank: mark · face · row · stick · patient · present · bowl · lie

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. face — part of the head
  8. present — a gift
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. face — to confront
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. present — the time now
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. row — a line
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. present — there

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