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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. court — of law
  4. charge — a price
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. tube — the underground
  9. cap — a lid
  10. chip — to eat
  11. court — for sport
  12. cap — of ice
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. cap — a hat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. charge — in control
  19. bore — to drill
  20. court — of a king
  21. foot — a measure
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bore — to tire
  24. patient — a sick person

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