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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 120 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. charge — in control
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. charge — a price
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cap — a lid
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cap — of ice
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. foot — a measure
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wake — before a funeral

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