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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: patient · face · leaves · bowl · fall · pass · pitcher · lie

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  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. face — part of the head
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fall — to drop
  6. face — to confront
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fall — the season
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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