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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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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: pit · face · rest · dip · bay · key · patient · mouse

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. key — in music
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. face — to confront
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rest — what's left
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pit — in a race
  15. face — to point toward
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pit — a hole

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