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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. can — to be able to
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bass — the fish
  7. kid — to tease
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bass — low music
  10. charge — in control
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. can — a tin
  13. kid — child
  14. game — a match
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. can — a tin
  18. game — wild animals
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. charge — a price
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. pass — a permit
  23. charge — electricity
  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