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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: patient · stick · rush · face · bowl · deal · foot · last

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. foot — a measure
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. face — to confront
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. last — to go on
  13. rush — hurry
  14. deal — to handle
  15. last — finally
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. face — part of the head
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. rush — to hurry

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