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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — to fit
  10. race — humankind
  11. charge — electricity
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. spring — of water
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — steady
  16. suit — in cards
  17. charge — in control
  18. race — a contest
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. firm — a company
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. race — the arms race
  24. sharp — clever

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