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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wind — moving air
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. rule — government
  11. suit — in cards
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rush — hurry
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rule — a law
  16. charge — in control
  17. wind — moving air
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rush — a thrill

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