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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. charge — in control
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. ball — a dance
  7. charge — a price
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. land — to come down
  10. plane — a tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. land — ground
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stand — to bear
  18. wound — an injury
  19. charge — electricity
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ball — a great time
  22. land — a country
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wound — an injury

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