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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: jam · charge · race · temple · ruler · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. race — humankind
  3. charge — electricity
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. charge — in control
  8. race — a contest
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. charge — a price
  16. race — the arms race
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship

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