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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
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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: sharp · jam · face · rule · lash · rock · patient · chest

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rock — music
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rule — government
  7. chest — a box
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. chest — of your body
  12. face — part of the head
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rock — a stone
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. face — to point toward
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. sharp — clever
  21. face — to confront
  22. rule — a law
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. patient — a sick person

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