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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: object · present · patient · arm · branch · firm · face · mine

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. object — to protest
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. present — there
  9. firm — a company
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. branch — a division
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. object — an aim
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. present — a gift
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. object — a thing
  22. mine — for digging
  23. face — part of the head
  24. present — the time now

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