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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pop — to visit
  5. lean — thin
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lean — to bend
  9. charge — a price
  10. net — in sport
  11. craft — boats
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pop — music
  17. charge — in control
  18. chip — to eat
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. net — after costs
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pop — soda
  23. net — for catching
  24. craft — a handicraft

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