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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: cabinet · patient · face · snap · fall · object · dip · temple

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. face — to confront
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. face — to point toward
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. object — to protest
  15. fall — to drop
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. face — part of the head
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. fall — the season
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fall — to drop

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