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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.

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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: patient · rule · straw · bank · arm · ball · foot · face

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ball — a dance
  4. face — part of the head
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. face — to confront
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bank — for money
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rule — a law
  14. bank — for money
  15. rule — government
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ball — a great time
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. face — to point toward
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. patient — a sick person

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