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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. charge — electricity
  5. tear — to rip
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. charge — in control
  9. root — the cause
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. charge — a price
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bound — obliged
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bound — certain
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. tear — from crying
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rule — a law

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