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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. ball — a great time
  10. prune — to trim
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. charge — in control
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fork — in a road
  19. prune — to trim
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pit — a hole
  23. charge — a price
  24. fork — a garden tool

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