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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. tear — from crying
  6. charge — a price
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — to rip
  9. saw — the tool
  10. season — of the year
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. charge — in control
  14. present — the time now
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. season — in sport
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. charge — electricity

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