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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. file — a line of people
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. file — a document
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. charge — electricity
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lean — to bend
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — a price
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stock — shares
  15. file — a tool
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stock — goods
  21. lean — thin
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lean — to rest against

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