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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. key — the most important part
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mine — for digging
  10. charge — electricity
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. hand — in cards
  22. key — for a lock
  23. charge — a price
  24. key — in music

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