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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. capital — money
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. last — final
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. capital — a city
  8. charge — electricity
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. last — finally
  11. fine — all right
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. last — to go on
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fine — high quality
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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