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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bark — to shout
  5. hand — help
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hand — in cards
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. firm — steady
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. firm — a company
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. charge — a price
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. firm — decided
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. fork — in a road
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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