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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: plane · perch · bulb · patient · face · jam · court · present

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. present — a gift
  12. court — of law
  13. face — part of the head
  14. perch — the fish
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. court — for sport
  18. face — to point toward
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. plane — a tool
  21. present — the time now
  22. court — of a king
  23. present — there
  24. perch — for a bird

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