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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. charge — electricity
  11. hand — help
  12. bound — certain
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. charge — a price
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bound — obliged
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pop — to visit
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. key — for a lock
  24. snap — to click

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