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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. key — in music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rock — a stone
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pitch — completely
  11. charge — a price
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. key — the most important part
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. charge — in control
  17. bear — the animal
  18. hand — help
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rock — music

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