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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 120 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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. board — a committee
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. court — of a king
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. charge — in control
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. court — of law
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. board — to get on

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