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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. chest — of your body
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rest — a break
  7. court — of law
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. tear — to rip
  12. chest — of your body
  13. court — for sport
  14. chest — a box
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stand — to bear
  21. court — of a king
  22. rest — what's left
  23. tear — from crying
  24. charge — electricity

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