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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: foot · rule · bore · patient · rock · chair · club · face

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rock — music
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. face — part of the head
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rule — government
  14. foot — a measure
  15. face — to confront
  16. club — for dancing
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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