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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. court — of law
  3. bulb — for light
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. charge — in control
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pitch — completely
  8. object — an aim
  9. court — for sport
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bulb — for light
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. object — to protest
  18. court — of a king
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. object — a thing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. charge — a price

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