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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fall — the season
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. charge — a price
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. charge — in control
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stem — to come from
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rash — hasty
  22. present — the time now
  23. rash — a series
  24. patient — a sick person

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