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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · patient · jam · court · face · pound · can · band

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. band — a ring
  4. key — for a lock
  5. can — a tin
  6. court — for sport
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. band — a music group
  12. pound — a weight
  13. can — a tin
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. court — of a king
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. court — of law
  19. can — to be able to
  20. key — in music
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. key — the most important part
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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