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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 116 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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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: fan · ball · firm · patient · face · spell · mug · object

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. face — to point toward
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. mug — to rob
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. spell — letters
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. face — to confront
  17. mug — a face
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — steady
  20. mug — a cup
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — magic
  23. object — a thing
  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