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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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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: charge · lash · stand · patient · rule · cold · firm · cap

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. cap — a hat
  3. charge — in control
  4. cap — of ice
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rule — a law
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rule — government
  9. firm — decided
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cold — not warm
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. charge — a price
  23. cold — an illness
  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