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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. land — a country
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. firm — a company
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. land — to come down
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. swing — in golf
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. land — ground
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. charge — electricity
  20. lie — to recline
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. charge — a price
  23. fall — the season
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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