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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ground — the earth
  3. charge — electricity
  4. chair — a leader
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. current — happening now
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. staff — employees
  11. ground — a position
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. current — of water
  14. charge — in control
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. staff — employees
  18. current — electric
  19. ground — crushed
  20. deal — to handle
  21. sharp — clever
  22. charge — a price
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. sharp — with an edge

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