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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
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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: roll · ground · patient · track · face · rest · bay · saw

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rest — a break
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. face — part of the head
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. face — to confront
  12. roll — a cake
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. face — to point toward
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. saw — the tool
  19. roll — a list
  20. ground — a position
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. track — a path

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