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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fall — to drop
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. drill — army training
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fall — the season
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fall — to drop
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. tube — a container
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. patient — a sick person

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