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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.

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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: cell · fan · cabinet · fork · face · patient · fine · hide

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cell — in biology
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. face — to confront
  13. cell — a phone
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fine — high quality
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. face — part of the head
  22. fine — all right
  23. face — to point toward
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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