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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: leaves · capital · hide · pound · cue · face · patient · lean

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. face — to point toward
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. face — to confront
  6. pound — a weight
  7. cue — a signal
  8. capital — money
  9. cue — a hint
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. face — part of the head
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lean — thin
  19. capital — a city
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lean — to bend
  24. cue — for pool

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