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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. charge — electricity
  3. roll — a list
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rule — a law
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. charge — in control
  12. bass — low music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. charge — a price
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bass — the fish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rule — government
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. roll — on a roll

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