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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. capital — money
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. charge — in control
  6. bore — to drill
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lean — thin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. charge — electricity
  13. capital — a city
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rest — a break
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. charge — a price
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pitch — completely
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lean — to rest against

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