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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bore — to tire
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — a grade
  9. land — to come down
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. land — a country
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bore — to drill
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. land — ground
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. charge — a price
  24. chip — in a computer

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