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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.

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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: swing · field · patient · pass · face · hide · craft · ruler

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. face — to point toward
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pass — a permit
  10. field — a subject
  11. craft — a skill
  12. face — to confront
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. field — farmland
  17. craft — boats
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. swing — to play on
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. field — for sport

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