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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: jam · deal · face · spring · net · pass · board · patient

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. face — to point toward
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. net — for catching
  9. pass — a permit
  10. spring — of water
  11. board — a committee
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. net — in sport
  16. spring — the season
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. spring — a coil
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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