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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. kid — to tease
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pass — a permit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chest — a box
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. band — a music group
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. kid — child
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. charge — a price
  20. suit — in cards
  21. chest — of your body
  22. band — a ring
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. charge — in control

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