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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. face — to point toward
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. swing — music
  9. row — a line
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. swing — in golf
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. swing — to play on
  18. face — to confront
  19. charge — electricity
  20. face — part of the head
  21. charge — a price
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. row — to paddle
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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