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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. staff — employees
  3. net — for catching
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. net — in sport
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. firm — steady
  11. mate — a partner
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. staff — employees
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. charge — a price
  19. staff — a stick
  20. firm — a company
  21. charge — electricity
  22. firm — decided
  23. charge — in control
  24. net — after costs

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