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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. object — an aim
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. charge — in control
  5. kid — child
  6. rule — government
  7. charge — electricity
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. charge — a price
  15. rule — a law
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. kid — to tease
  18. rock — a stone
  19. craft — boats
  20. rock — music
  21. fine — all right
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. fine — high quality

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