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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: perch · mug · foot · safe · net · face · patient · court

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. net — after costs
  3. face — part of the head
  4. mug — a cup
  5. foot — a measure
  6. net — for catching
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. face — to point toward
  12. court — for sport
  13. mug — a face
  14. perch — the fish
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — of law
  23. net — in sport
  24. mug — to rob

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