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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: snap · wake · foot · bulb · court · patient · nail · face

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. face — part of the head
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. face — to point toward
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. wake — a trail
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. snap — to click
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bulb — for light
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. face — to confront
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. foot — a measure
  24. court — for sport

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