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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. charge — a price
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. root — of a plant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. root — of a word
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cap — a lid
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cap — of ice
  20. perch — the fish
  21. root — the cause
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mark — to pay attention

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