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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.

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: fine · face · patient · file · lie · bank · scale · racket

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. file — a line of people
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. scale — in music
  11. lie — to recline
  12. face — part of the head
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. file — a document
  16. face — to point toward
  17. scale — size or range
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fine — high quality
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. face — to confront
  22. bank — for money
  23. file — a tool
  24. lie — an untruth

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