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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: chip · mine · foot · fan · charge · patient · bank · racket

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. charge — electricity
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mine — for digging
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bank — for money
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fan — a supporter

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