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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 124 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. chip — for betting
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mine — for digging
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. charge — in control
  20. toast — bread
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mine — an explosive

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