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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
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: staff · rock · plane · tube · patient · face · foot · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. face — part of the head
  3. staff — employees
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rock — music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. rock — a stone
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. foot — a measure
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. staff — employees
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. tube — in a tire

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