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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 116 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: cell · patient · scale · charge · stand · swing

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. charge — a price
  7. cell — a phone
  8. swing — music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cell — in biology
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in 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