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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. land — to come down
  3. charge — in control
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cap — a hat
  7. wound — an injury
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. charge — a price
  17. rest — what's left
  18. land — a country
  19. cap — a lid
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. land — ground
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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