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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: current · present · fan · pass · branch · patient · racket · charge

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. charge — a price
  11. current — of water
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. charge — in control
  17. present — the time now
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pass — a permit
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. present — a gift

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