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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 116 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mug — to rob
  3. charge — electricity
  4. game — a match
  5. wound — an injury
  6. charge — a price
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bass — the fish
  14. wound — an injury
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. game — wild animals
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bass — low music
  22. mug — a cup
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. mug — a face

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