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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. staff — employees
  4. rash — a series
  5. staff — a stick
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. charge — electricity
  13. staff — employees
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rash — hasty
  17. charge — in control
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. charge — a price
  24. cap — a lid

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