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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. file — a line of people
  3. court — of a king
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. charge — in control
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. file — a document
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. court — of law
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. charge — a price
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. court — for sport
  17. file — a tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. charge — electricity
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. toast — bread
  24. arm — part of the body

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