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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: face · spring · object · march · lean · patient · temple · fine

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. face — part of the head
  7. march — the month
  8. lean — to bend
  9. object — a thing
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. object — to protest
  13. march — the month
  14. lean — thin
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. spring — the season
  17. march — music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. spring — a coil
  21. face — to confront
  22. spring — of water
  23. object — an aim
  24. temple — a place of worship

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