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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: spring · track · board · staff · face · mouse · patient · spell

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. face — to confront
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. board — a committee
  5. track — a path
  6. spell — magic
  7. track — to keep track
  8. face — part of the head
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. face — to point toward
  12. track — a song
  13. staff — employees
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. spring — the season
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spell — letters
  21. board — to get on
  22. spring — of water
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. patient — a sick person

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