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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. suit — to fit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. game — a match
  7. charge — in control
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. chip — for betting
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. charge — a price
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. chip — to eat
  16. game — wild animals
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. charge — electricity
  19. suit — clothes
  20. dip — to sink
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. game — a kind of play

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