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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: patient · charge · pit · club · can · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. can — to be able to
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. club — for dancing
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. can — a tin
  9. pit — a hole
  10. charge — a price
  11. can — a tin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pit — in a race
  14. charge — in control
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. club — for golf
  17. charge — electricity
  18. club — a group

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