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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 · stem · roll · charge · bark · court · capital · bank

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bank — for money
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bark — to shout
  6. charge — a price
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. roll — a list
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bank — of a river
  19. court — for sport
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bank — for money
  22. court — of law
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. court — of a king

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