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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — to bear
  3. charge — a price
  4. hand — in cards
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ground — the earth
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. ground — a position
  15. board — a committee
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pop — music
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. hand — help
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ground — crushed
  23. board — to get on
  24. pop — soda

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