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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. charge — in control
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — the earth
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. craft — a skill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. dip — to sink
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — a price
  16. craft — boats
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fine — high quality
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fine — all right

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