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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: mouse · club · cell · charge · patient · pit

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. club — a group
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. charge — in control
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pit — a hole
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. charge — a price
  16. club — for dancing
  17. charge — electricity
  18. club — for golf

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