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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. fall — to drop
  3. charge — in control
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — a price
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mark — a trace
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. craft — boats
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitch — completely
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fall — the season
  21. lie — to recline
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fall — to drop

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