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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: temple · face · court · mug · staff · patient · rest · stick

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. face — to confront
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rest — a break
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mug — a cup
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rest — what's left
  14. court — of a king
  15. rest — what's left
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. court — for sport
  24. mug — a face

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