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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: present · charge · capital · branch · patient · chair

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chair — a leader
  4. charge — a price
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. capital — money
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. present — the time now
  13. branch — a division
  14. charge — electricity
  15. capital — a city
  16. present — there
  17. charge — in control
  18. capital — a big letter

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