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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
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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: face · coach · current · straw · bowl · patient · object · bay

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. object — a thing
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. face — part of the head
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. current — electric
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. face — to point toward
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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