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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. charge — in control
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. clip — to cut
  8. rush — hurry
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cap — a hat
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cap — of ice
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. clip — a video
  18. clip — for paper
  19. charge — electricity
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mine — for digging
  23. charge — a price
  24. rush — to hurry

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