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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fall — the season
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wind — moving air
  5. court — of a king
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. fall — to drop
  9. charge — in control
  10. press — to push
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bore — to drill
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. court — of law
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. press — a publisher
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. court — for sport
  24. fall — to drop

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