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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fall — the season
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pop — music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fall — to drop
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pop — soda
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — in control
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pop — to visit

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