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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.

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: kick · ground · face · can · mate · scale · patient · foot

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. ground — the earth
  4. foot — a measure
  5. ground — crushed
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. can — a tin
  8. face — part of the head
  9. can — a tin
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. scale — in music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ground — a position
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. can — to be able to
  16. kick — in football
  17. mate — a partner
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — to point toward
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. mate — to breed
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. scale — size or range

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