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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rash — hasty
  4. net — for catching
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rash — a series
  12. net — after costs
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. net — in sport
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wake — a trail
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. patient — a sick person

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