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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · bay · patient · pit · charge · root · cabinet · land

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. root — of a word
  3. charge — a price
  4. land — to come down
  5. pit — in a race
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rash — hasty
  11. land — a country
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. land — ground
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rash — a series
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. root — the cause
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bay — a horse colour

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