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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.

Make a worksheet

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: face · pitcher · staff · root · craft · patient · bulb · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. craft — a skill
  3. chest — of your body
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. face — part of the head
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bulb — for light
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. staff — a stick
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. root — the cause
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bulb — for light
  23. face — to confront
  24. pitcher — a jug

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