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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mate — a partner
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mate — to breed
  5. chair — a leader
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. charge — in control
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chip — for betting
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. charge — electricity
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. charge — a price
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mate — a friend

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