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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. charge — a price
  4. ground — a position
  5. deal — to handle
  6. clip — for paper
  7. clip — a video
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ground — the earth
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. tube — the underground
  12. charge — electricity
  13. track — a path
  14. tube — a container
  15. ground — crushed
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. clip — to cut
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. track — to keep track
  20. snap — to click
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — a song
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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