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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. charge — in control
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. object — to protest
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wind — moving air
  11. chip — to eat
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. content — happy
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. object — a thing
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. content — the amount
  20. object — an aim
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. charge — a price

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