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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fine — high quality
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fine — all right
  13. charge — in control
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ground — a position
  19. charge — a price
  20. stand — to bear
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fine — a penalty
  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