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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. charge — in control
  6. wound — an injury
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rest — a break
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. charge — electricity
  16. court — of a king
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. charge — a price
  19. rest — what's left
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. court — of law
  24. court — for sport

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