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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · staff · can · face · leaves · patient · field · cell

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. can — to be able to
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cell — a phone
  7. face — to confront
  8. cell — in biology
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. field — farmland
  13. mug — to rob
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. staff — a stick
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. staff — employees
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. staff — employees
  23. mug — a face
  24. leaves — of a tree

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