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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. object — an aim
  2. charge — a price
  3. mark — a trace
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. race — humankind
  6. charge — in control
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. charge — electricity
  10. race — a contest
  11. object — to protest
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cap — a hat
  18. race — the arms race
  19. object — a thing
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  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