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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: calf · patient · spell · toast · squash · face · pit · firm

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. spell — letters
  3. squash — to crush
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — decided
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. toast — bread
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pit — a hole
  14. face — to point toward
  15. spell — a short time
  16. firm — steady
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. spell — magic
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. face — to confront
  22. firm — a company
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pit — in a race

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