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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. charge — a price
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pass — a permit
  6. present — a gift
  7. charge — electricity
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. swing — music
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — after costs
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ball — a dance
  14. present — there
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. swing — in golf
  18. net — in sport
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. charge — in control
  21. ball — a great time
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pass — to succeed

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