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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. object — a thing
  5. file — a document
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. charge — in control
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. file — a line of people
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fall — to drop
  12. charge — a price
  13. tube — a container
  14. object — to protest
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. file — a tool
  21. object — an aim
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fall — the season

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