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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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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: patient · swing · rest · deal · charge · chair

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rest — a break
  4. deal — to handle
  5. swing — to play on
  6. charge — in control
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. charge — a price
  9. chair — a leader
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. swing — music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. swing — in golf
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rest — what's left

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