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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. ground — the earth
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rash — a series
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. charge — a price
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rash — hasty
  13. ground — crushed
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ground — a position
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stand — to bear
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. charge — in control
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stand — for spectators
  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