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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. drill — a practice
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mark — a trace
  8. key — for a lock
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. charge — a price
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mark — a grade
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stem — to come from
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. drill — the tool
  19. key — in music
  20. fork — in a road
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. charge — in control

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