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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: face · perch · patient · toast · pop · net · fine · rest

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rest — a break
  4. fine — high quality
  5. face — to confront
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rest — what's left
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. face — part of the head
  15. perch — the fish
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. toast — bread
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. fine — all right

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