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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. suit — clothes
  7. court — of a king
  8. land — a country
  9. charge — a price
  10. court — for sport
  11. mine — for digging
  12. land — ground
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. court — of law
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. land — to come down

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