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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bat — the animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. court — of a king
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. charge — in control
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. charge — a price
  11. bulb — for light
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. court — of law
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. can — to be able to
  17. charge — electricity
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. can — a tin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. nail — for a hammer

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