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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.

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: patient · chair · track · dip · pit · tube · charge · roll

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. track — a song
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pit — a hole
  9. charge — a price
  10. tube — a container
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a cake
  15. charge — electricity
  16. dip — to sink
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. roll — a list
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. chair — a leader
  21. track — a path
  22. charge — in control
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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