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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rest — a break
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bore — to tire
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bound — tied together
  12. charge — a price
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bore — to drill
  18. charge — in control
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bound — certain
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cap — a lid
  24. charge — electricity

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