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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. charge — a price
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. suit — clothes
  5. staff — employees
  6. suit — to fit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wax — to grow
  16. charge — in control
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. suit — in cards
  21. swing — music
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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