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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 120 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: dip · leaves · stick · face · patient · clip · temple · ball

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — a video
  6. ball — a dance
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. dip — to sink
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. face — part of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. clip — to cut
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. face — to confront
  21. ball — a great time
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. dip — a sauce

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