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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: patient · ruler · drill · racket · field · charge

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. drill — army training
  3. charge — electricity
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. charge — a price
  6. field — a subject
  7. charge — in control
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. drill — the tool
  10. field — farmland
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — a practice
  17. field — for sport
  18. ruler — a monarch

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