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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 120 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 · pitch · kick · charge · cap · arm · mouse · current

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. current — of water
  4. cap — of ice
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pitch — completely
  7. current — happening now
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cap — a hat
  12. kick — in football
  13. cap — a lid
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. current — electric
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. charge — a price

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