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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rash — a series
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. degree — an amount
  12. present — the time now
  13. lean — thin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. charge — a price
  17. degree — temperature
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. present — there
  20. charge — electricity
  21. degree — from a university
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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