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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. spell — letters
  5. rule — government
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. charge — a price
  10. tube — the underground
  11. charge — in control
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. craft — boats
  15. spell — a short time
  16. charge — electricity
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rule — a law
  19. firm — decided
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. tube — a container
  22. date — the fruit
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. spell — magic

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