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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: face · patient · cabinet · bore · rest · perch · pitch · nail

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rest — a break
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. face — part of the head
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. face — to confront
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. face — to point toward
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — completely
  23. perch — the fish
  24. nail — on a finger

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