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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. race — a contest
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pit — in a race
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. object — a thing
  7. charge — electricity
  8. race — humankind
  9. pit — a hole
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. land — to come down
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bass — low music
  14. land — ground
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. object — to protest
  18. charge — in control
  19. plane — a tool
  20. object — an aim
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bass — the fish
  24. land — a country

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