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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — a stone
  3. charge — electricity
  4. press — to push
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. charge — in control
  8. press — a publisher
  9. key — for a lock
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pit — in a race
  12. charge — a price
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. press — newspapers
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. key — in music
  21. rock — music
  22. wax — to grow
  23. row — a line
  24. wax — in the ear

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