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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. charge — in control
  5. saw — the tool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. court — for sport
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. firm — a company
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. firm — decided
  20. court — of law
  21. charge — electricity
  22. firm — steady
  23. pass — a permit
  24. court — of a king

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