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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 · wave · jam · object · clip · trunk · can · charge

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. object — to protest
  4. clip — a video
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. clip — for paper
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. can — to be able to
  17. clip — to cut
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. charge — a price
  24. object — a thing

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