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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: chip · patient · wake · charge · ruler · ball · press · racket

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. charge — a price
  6. press — a publisher
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. press — to push
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ball — a great time
  12. chip — for betting
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. charge — in control
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. charge — electricity
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. press — newspapers
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wake — a trail
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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