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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. charge — electricity
  3. swing — to play on
  4. pop — music
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pop — soda
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bulb — for light
  10. charge — in control
  11. swing — music
  12. current — electric
  13. clip — a video
  14. charge — a price
  15. pop — to visit
  16. swing — in golf
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bulb — for light
  19. clip — to cut
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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