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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. file — a line of people
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. court — of law
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. file — a tool
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. court — of a king
  14. file — a document
  15. court — for sport
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. charge — in control
  18. tear — from crying
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. tear — to rip
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. tear — from crying
  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