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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. firm — steady
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bore — to tire
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. season — in sport
  12. charge — in control
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mate — to breed
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mate — a friend
  17. season — of the year
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. chip — to eat
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bore — to drill
  24. charge — a price

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