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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 120 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mark — a grade
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. season — in sport
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — to protest
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mark — a trace
  13. object — an aim
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. season — of the year
  16. pound — a weight
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. object — a thing
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pound — to hit hard

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