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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 116 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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Word bank
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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 · perch · patient · face · last · pit · march · safe

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mark — a trace
  7. face — to confront
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. last — final
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. last — to go on
  15. face — part of the head
  16. last — finally
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pit — in a race
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. safe — a strongbox

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