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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. charge — in control
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. charge — a price
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — a group
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. staff — employees
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fall — to drop
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fall — the season
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. club — for dancing
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fine — high quality
  20. charge — electricity
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fine — all right
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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