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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 120 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: trunk · face · net · stand · nail · patient · bulb · mouse

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. face — to confront
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. net — for catching
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — in sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stand — to bear
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. face — to point toward
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. net — after costs

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