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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — to go on
  3. cap — of ice
  4. ground — a position
  5. cap — a hat
  6. ground — the earth
  7. charge — electricity
  8. ground — crushed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. cap — a lid
  12. charge — a price
  13. last — finally
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — final
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. charge — in control
  22. fork — in a road
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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