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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. charge — a price
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ground — crushed
  11. charge — in control
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rash — hasty
  15. swing — in golf
  16. ground — the earth
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. swing — music
  20. rash — a series
  21. swing — to play on
  22. charge — electricity
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. deal — to handle

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