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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. charge — electricity
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. charge — in control
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. kid — to tease
  17. charge — a price
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kid — child
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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