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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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468
Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. charge — in control
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. root — the cause
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wind — moving air
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — a price
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wind — moving air
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. root — of a word
  24. charge — electricity

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